Illegitimate
by Ms.Bells.Swan
Summary: Shannon Mitchell is a normal girl in Boston. But when her magical father, Harry Potter, shows up with the news that she's a witch, she moves to Hogwarts. When she catches the eye of Scorpius Malfoy, can she stay loyal to the father she's never known?
1. Chapter 1: Discovery

**A/N: So I decided to replace the last Chapter One I had up with this one, which contains several small character additions. I added in Dominique and Louis Weasley, Victoire's sister and brother. Dominique is 14 and Louis is 12. Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I pretend to. I do own all original characters, however.**

Chapter One: Discovery

It was just another ordinary summer day in the life of ten year old Shannon Mitchell. She had slept in late, watched TV, and played outside. Her mother would get home from work soon, and then she would get to open presents. Because, you see, today was Shannon's eleventh birthday.

Her mother got home. She made dinner. Then Shannon blew out the candles on her birthday cake and tore into the gifts. There were clothes, a new pair of sandals, and a volume of fantasy stories.

Later that night, Shannon was curled up in bed, reading one of her new stories. Suddenly, her mother walked into the room. Michelle Mitchell was watching her young daughter as if she was going to disappear at any moment.

"Mom? What's wrong?" Shannon asked, starting to worry.

"Honey, there's someone here to see you," Michelle replied softly. Shannon sat up.

"Really? Who is it?" Shannon asked. Her mother sighed, closing her eyes briefly.

"Well, it's your father," she mumbled. Shannon froze, then slowly pulled a blanket around her shoulders and walked out into the main room of the small Brooklyn apartment.

Standing there was a man with the same messy black hair and green eyes as Shannon. He was tall and muscular with a bit of a five o'clock shadow. He wore glasses that were slightly crooked and seemed to be broken on the bridge.

"D-dad?" Shannon whispered, her voice hoarse and eyes wide. His weary face lit up when he saw her. He stepped towards her and stooped down to her level.

"Shannon," he murmured, the name flitting off his tongue as if he'd been saying it his whole life.

"Dad!" she cried, flinging her arms around his neck and hugging him, hardly aware of the tears streaming down her face. After a moment, he pulled back and reached into his coat's deep inside pocket, pulling out a long, thin box labeled 'Olivander's'.

"Happy birthday, Shannon," he said, giving her the package. She thanked him, wiping tears from her face, and was about to open it when her mother spoke for the first time.

"No. No way." Michelle Mitchell snatched the box away. "Shannon, go to your room please," she requested coolly. Shannon, confused, complied silently. As she shut the door, her mother began to speak.

"No way. You will not do this to me. Or her!"

"Michelle-," her father started. Her mother cut him off.

"Don't you 'Michelle' me! I haven't seen you since I was twenty-four! And now, all of a sudden, you turn up unannounced and try to take my daughter away from me, try to take her to that school of yours and that family you care so much about! I don't think so!" She paused, lowering her voice. "My daughter is not a witch. She is not magic, and neither am I!"

"Michelle, I'm sorry about the past. I know the circumstances aren't great. But Shannon is as much my daughter as she is yours! This is the only thing I'll ever ask of you. Just let me try! I need to try," he told her, his eyes begging.

Shannon noticed something just then. Her mother had left the package from her father on the nearest side table. She slipped silently to the table, grabbing the box and opening it. Inside was a strange wooden stick with and elaborately carved handle. She gently picked it up, studying it. Shannon turned toward her parents.

"Dad, what is this?" she asked. Her parents turned to her, and her dad's eyes lit up. He shot her mother a quick triumphant smile.

"It's a wand. Hand carved. Try it out!" he urged, miming a swish. Shannon halfheartedly flicked the wand, gasping at what happened. The wand started spitting out golden lights in swirling designs that spun around, suspended in midair. Suddenly, she remembered her mother's words: _'My daughter is not a witch! She's not magic, and neither am I!'_ Shannon put a hand to her mouth. Her head was spinning. Was it really possible? Could she really be…a witch?

"Dad, am I…am I a witch? Am I magic?" she asked. Her mother let out a soft sob, sinking down on their ratty sofa, but Shannon didn't notice. She stared at her father, green eyes meeting green eyes, waiting for an answer.

"Shannon, why don't we sit and talk for a bit?" he asked, motioning to the sofa.

And boy, did they talk.

Her father started off with the basics.

"My name is Harry Potter. I started dating your mother when I was twenty and she was nineteen. We dated for about five years. Then I had a…business of sorts to take care of back in London, and I left. She had you and raised you without my knowledge. A…associate of mine found out about you and informed me of your existence."

"Okay…all that sounds relatively normal." Shannon nodded.

"Now, there's something you should know about your mother and I. We both went to a school in Scotland called Hogwarts. It is a school for gifted young girls and boys to learn and master the art of magic." At this, Shannon turned to look at her mother.

"Shannon, I've had a lot of practice with magic. I've seen enough to know that it's not always a good magic. I gave it up when Harry left, promised myself that I would live without it, and you would grow up without it," Michelle spoke in a strong voice, even through her tears. Harry snorted unceremoniously.

"Okay…so what about the family Mom mentioned?" Shannon asked her dad hesitantly, noting his reaction to her mother's explanation.

"Well, that's…not one of my finer decisions. You see, while at school I date my best friend's sister, a girl named Ginny Weasley. Then, while dating your mother, Ginny and I…met up a few times. When your mother and I broke up, she and I got to know each other again. We ended up getting married. We have three kids, four if you count my godson, who lives with us. Of course, there are usually many more children around, because Ron and Hermione have two and Bill and Fleur have one. And Hermione is pregnant again, joy of joys. And Charlie is dating a wonderful girl named Abigail…" he trailed off when he realized he was rambling. Michelle's eyebrows were raised as she processed this new gossip.

"So, it's really busy over there, huh?" Shannon asked, trying to picture all of the people he had mentioned running around.

"I suppose. But in a good way," Harry paused, glanced at Michelle, and then leaned towards Shannon. "Shannon, let me spell this out for you. You are a witch. You have a lot of magical ability flowing through you. All young witches and wizards need to be trained, whether formally in a school or at home by a parent. You need to be trained, Shannon, and Hogwarts is the best place I can think of for you be trained." He paused, and Michelle opened her mouth to speak, but Shannon beat her to it.

"Where is Hogwarts, exactly?" she asked.

"Scotland. I can't say any more than that because I am not its Secret Keeper."

"But that's a long way away!"

"Well, that's the other thing. To attend Hogwarts, you would need to come live with me and my family. I would pay, of course, and move you and your mother into a flat near the Burrow and the Hollow. The Burrow is where most of the Weasleys live and the Hollow is where the rest of them, and my family and I, live," Harry explained.

That night, they had a lot of discussion. Michelle and Harry argued a lot, and Shannon only understood about half of the conversation, but eventually they came to an agreement. That same night, Shannon and Michelle were packing their bags. At about three in the morning, Harry told them it was time to go. He gave Michelle a serious look and then took hold of Shannon's arm. Before she could ask what he was going to do, he turned on the spot, taking her with him, and she had the terrible feeling of being squeezed through a small tube. When the world stopped spinning, she realized they were standing in front of a tall building. It was leaning dangerously to the side, and Shannon realized it was probably held up by magic. Her father walked to the door, motioning her to stay there.

He knocked, and a plump, friendly red-headed woman answered. She embraced Harry like a mother hugging her son, and then invited him inside. He shook his head, said something that made her draw her eyebrows together, and then pointed to Shannon and her mother. The woman let out a yelp, running over to them.

"Michelle? Michelle Mitchell? Oh, my stars!" the plump woman exclaimed, hugging Shannon's mother. To Shannon's surprise, her mother smiled and hugged back.

"Mrs. Weasley! Oh, how long has been since I last saw you?" Michelle asked. The woman smiled. Shannon cleared her throat. The woman gasped, studying her closely.

"You must be Shannon. Oh, dear, I'm Mrs. Weasley. You parents are like children to me," Mrs. Weasley said, pulling Shannon into a hug.

"Molly, I need to get everyone together. Can we gather in your living room?" Her father interrupted all the introductions. Mrs. Weasley nodded, suddenly somber, and they made their way inside.

"Get down here, everyone! Harry's returned, and he's got company!" Mrs. Weasley called. Harry guided Shannon and Michelle to a huge family room, motioning for them to sit. Shannon slid into a squishy armchair, and her mother leaned against it. They tensed as people began pouring into the room.

The first in was a women who looked to be in her thirties. She had very curly brown hair and dark brown eyes, and the plump belly of a woman who is five months pregnant. Walking next to her was a man about Harry's age with the same bright red hair as Mrs. Weasley. Behind them walked a girl Shannon's age with curly reddish-brown hair and a younger boy with that same bright red hair. Then a beautiful woman with silver-blonde hair entered, attached to an older man with the trademark red hair, followed by a teen girl with silver-blonde hair who was holding hands with a teenage boy with blue hair and brown eyes. A younger girl with the same silver hair and blue eyes only cut short entered, and then a boy with similar looks, only his hair was a messy shag that fell across his eyes. Then there were two men with the red hair. One walked over and stood by Mrs. Weasley, obviously her husband, and one stood in the corner.

Shannon felt the hand her mother had placed on her shoulder tighten as the last group of people entered. First a thirteen year old boy with light brown hair and hazel eyes ran in. Then there was a boy who looked like a miniature version of her father. He looked her age and followed the older boy. Then two females walked in. One was a petite woman in her early thirties, with long straight red hair trailing down to her waist and flashing brown eyes. The nine year old girl attached to her arm looked like a doll version of her. The woman walked over to Shannon's father, giving him a hug and a kiss. Michelle's nails were digging into Shannon's shoulder. The room was strangely silent as the people took seats, surveying the scene quietly.

"Well, I'm back," Harry started, chuckling. It was obvious he was at ease here; this was his family, from whom he had nothing to hide. "And, as you can see, I brought back a few people that I think I ought to introduce. First, this is Michelle Mitchell. Some of you may remember her from Hogwarts. She was in Ginny's year," he paused here, looking around and taking a deep breath. "And second is Shannon Mitchell. My eleven year old daughter."

At this, the room exploded. The women gasped and whispered among themselves, the men snorted and grunted, and the children all gasped, looking up at the adults. The teenagers raised their eyebrows in surprise. The petite redhead that was hanging onto Harry stayed silent, her face unhappy.

"Alright, alright, settle down. Now, Shannon is a witch. It's no surprise, considering who her parents are. I have come to an agreement with Michelle that Shannon will be schooled at Hogwarts, starting this year. Shannon and her mum are moving here, to the Hollow, until they can secure a flat nearby to live in. Shannon will be enrolled in Hogwarts this year." And with that, he turned and walked to the kitchen, pulling his wife with him. His daughter latched onto Mrs. Weasley.

"Michelle? Michelle Mitchell? I haven't seen you in such a long time! Last I saw you, you were saying goodbye to everyone before your big move to the States!" the pregnant woman was saying to her mother. They embraced, and then Michelle turned to Shannon.

"Sweetie, this is Hermione. She and I went to school together. We were sort of…library buddies," her mother laughed.

"So this is your daughter. She doesn't look a thing like you, Michelle. She looks so much like Harr-er, her father." Hermione said it as if she were commenting on the weather, only stumbling over the name of her father. Shannon squirmed uncomfortably. Hermione motioned her to follow, and she did, self-conscious. "Now, Shannon, let me introduce you to the kids. These are my kids, Rose and Hugo," she pointed at the eleven year old girl with curly hair and the nine year old boy with red flaming locks, "and their cousin, Victoire," now she gestured to the blonde who was tossing her hair around, "and her sister Dominique and brother Louis," the other blondes here, "and Harry's godson, Teddy," here she pointed at the teen boy with blue hair, "and your half-brothers, James and Albus," she patted the brown haired boy and the boy who looked like Harry, "and your half-sister, Lily." She motioned to the small redhead. "Well, now you know all the kids here. Why don't you get to know them while your mother and I catch up?" Hermione suggested. Shannon shrugged.

The first person to jump on her was Lily. She crossed her arms, frowned, and tilted her head.

"You're my daddy's daughter," she stated. "But not Mummy's. Are we still sisters?" she asked, looking perplexed. Shannon nodded uncomfortably. "Oh. Okay," Lily shrugged, smiled, and skipped back over to Mrs. Weasley. Then the boys were on her.

"Shannon? I'm James. This is Albus. You're our sister." The older boy announced, sticking out his hand. Shannon shook it. "So, how old are you?" James asked.

"I'm eleven, as of…today," she blinked, realizing it was still her birthday. James smiled.

"Cool! Happy birthday! You're the same age as Albus. You'll be in his classes," James told her. She smiled. James turned around. "Rose! Rosie, come here!" Rose, who had been sitting with a book in her lap, sighed and walked over, marking her place with a piece of ribbon.

"What is it, James Sirius?" she asked, looking annoyed.

"Oh, nothing, Rosie-poo," he replied in a teasing voice. "Just wanted to introduce you to my sister. Rose, this is Shannon. She'll be a first-year with you this year," he said. Rose smiled, turning to Shannon.

By the time Harry was ready to leave, Shannon and Rose were best friends and Michelle and Hermione were acting like they were back at school. It turned out that Hermione, her husband Ron, and their kids Hugo and Rose lived in the Hollow with Harry, Ginny, James, Albus, and Lily. Michelle would be staying in a guest room while Shannon was rooming with Rose. Shannon was practically asleep as they walked out the door. Before she knew what was happening, her father was picking her up and carrying her as if she were five instead of eleven. She was out before they reached the house.


	2. Chapter 2: Sorting

**A/N: Ok, here's the next chapter. Hope you like it. Thanks to Eviltwin2318 for replying! You made my day. This chapter's for you.**

Chapter Two: Sorting

The last few weeks of summer passed in a fairly routine fashion. Breakfast in the Hollow, then a trip to the Burrow to visit the others. Mrs. Weasley would try to force feed them more breakfast, then assign them each a chore to complete before lunch and send them on their way. Shannon, Rose, and Albus usually stuck together, unless Albus was trailing after James.

Rose and Shannon would talk about whatever came to mind while they watered the garden, weeded the lawn, or chase the gnomes away. At lunch, everyone would gather in the Burrow, consuming much too much food, and the children would each receive another chore. The afternoon would progress in a similar fashion, with a gathering for dinner. Then the adults would have wine or something called firewhiskey while the children exhausted themselves.

Everything was going great. Shannon loved being around all the kids, and the adults for that matter. There was only one problem with the whole set-up: Ginny.

Ginevra Potter was a thirty-five year old woman who looked about twenty-nine. She was the mother of James, Albus, and Lily. She had grown up with Harry and she was the one he had turned to after the break-up with Michelle. Anyone would have thought that she would have taken Shannon in, tried to get to know her. But that wasn't the way things worked out.

It was obvious from the beginning that Ginny and Michelle didn't get along. They barely ever spoke, and Ginny had taken to clinging to Harry since their arrival. She was perfectly cordial to Shannon when Michelle wasn't around, but it was still clear that she hated the situation.

The Saturday before they were supposed to board the train to go to school, Harry made an announcement at breakfast.

"We're going to Diagon Alley."

At this piece of news, the kids started chattering animatedly.

"Rose, what's Diagon Alley?" Shannon asked.

"Well, it's like a marketplace or a mall, only for magic," Rose replied, grinning.

"Alright, everyone. Grab your cloaks and letters, then gather around the fireplace!"

Everyone started pushing forward, crowding around, but Michelle pulled Shannon back.

"Shannon, I just want to warn you. Don't freak out, ok? Don't be scared," Michelle whispered to her daughter. Shannon smiled and nodded, confused but excited. She squeezed in next to Rose and Albus, listening to her father.

"Molly, Arthur, and Hermione are staying here with Hugo, who's sick. Fleur, Victoire, Dominique, and Louis are going shopping in London with Gabriella and Anne-Laure. Anyone who wants to stay here can, but Teddy, James, Albus, Rose, and Shannon all need new school supplies. Bill is at work, so we'll drop into Gringott's to see him. Lily wants to come along. The Floo-ing order is going to be this: Ron, Michelle, Lily, Rose, Al, Shannon, James, Teddy, Ginny, and then me. Ok? Ok." Harry nodded to himself, grabbing a pot of what looked like ashes. Ron took a handful, stepping into the fireplace. He threw it down.

"Diagon Alley!" he shouted as the green flames leaped up at him. He spun around and disappeared. Then her mother took a handful and did the same thing. Lily and Rose followed, then Albus. Shannon stepped forward. She carefully scooped up ash, stepping into the flames. She threw her handful, yelled "Diagon Alley!" and closed her eyes as the green flames enveloped her. A moment later, she was standing in a different fireplace. Her mother smiled, helping her climb out of the brick fireplace into a large room. The room had a door on one wall, leading out to a busy street, and the rest of the walls were covered with nothing but fireplaces. People were climbing in and out of fireplaces, the green flames appearing and disappearing.

Once everyone else had arrived, they were given a small pouch of gold and silver coins. They exited the room of fireplaces.

Diagon Alley was alive and bustling, with students and parents running around. James, Albus, Rose, and Shannon all took off, running from store to store. Rose gasped, pulling Shannon into a huge bookstore, her eyes alight. Shannon started scanning the titles. Some were obvious titles, like 101 Spells to Clean Your House, but some were more confusing, such as How to Speak Mermish, which appeared to have actually been written in Mermish.

It was there, losing herself in the bookstore, that she met him for the first time.

He was relatively tall for an eleven year old boy, with chalky white skin and white-blonde hair. His eyes were a misty silver-blue. He wore long black robes and an expression of being above such menial tasks as shopping.

It happened like in the movies, with her accidentally bumping into him. The only difference was that when he righted himself, he turned on his heel and began to walk away.

"Hey, Wait a minute!" she called, crossing her arms. He stopped, turned around, and gave her a scathing look.

"If you're waiting for an apology, don't hold your breath," he smirked. She glared at him.

"Well _I'm_ not apologizing," she informed him. His eyes narrowed and he sighed.

"But it was your fault, not mine!"

"It was as much your fault as it was mine, and I'll apologize when you do!" She matched his expression.

"Listen you little brat," he hissed, taking a step towards her, "I'm Scorpius Malfoy, son of Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass. Now, I demand that you apologize or I'll-,"

"You'll what?" James interrupted, walking over and throwing an arm around Shannon. The blonde, Scorpius, sneered.

"Oh, so she's your girlfriend, Potter? Well, maybe you should keep her on a shorter leash. She may get into trouble!" And with that, Scorpius turned and stalked off.

Shannon exhaled sharply, then turned and hugged her older brother.

"Thank you for sticking up for me, James. I would have been fine, though," she added. He chuckled.

"No problem, sis. Just wait until you get to Hogwarts. You can practice hexes on him!" Shannon laughed. Then, her father came into view. "Dad! Over here!" James called. Rose and Al materialized behind Shannon, Rose carrying a stack of books she had apparently purchased.

"Hey, I know how much you love this store, but it's time to head over to Madame Malkin's to get new robes and school uniforms. Come on, guys." Harry led the groaning group of kids with him to the seamstress's shop.

After Madame Malkin's, they visited other stores. They bought cauldrons, scales, potions ingredients, quills, ink, parchment, and other supplies. Then they passed the pet store.

"Dad, can I get an owl?" Albus asked, eyeing a tawny owl in the window. Harry thought about it for a moment before shrugging.

"Sure, Al. I mean, you will be going off to school this year…sure, let's get you an owl!" Harry grinned. They entered the store, Rose whispering to Shannon about how wizards used owls to deliver letters. As Al worked with the shopkeeper, gathering stuff for the owl that Al was naming Alban, Harry bent down to Shannon's level. "Hey, Shannon, you want to get a pet?" he asked. Shannon smiled, looking around. She suddenly noticed a small grey kitten in the corner. The kitten had white and black splotches all over her, and her fur was silky smooth.

"Dad, can I get this kitten?" she asked quietly. He nodded.

"Sure. What are you going to name her?" Harry asked.

"Gypsy," Shannon answered immediately.

Eventually, they had everything they needed. They gathered back in the fireplace room, Flooed back to the Burrow or the Hollow, and spent the rest of the night frantically packing and re-packing. Shannon barely slept that night, she was so excited. Gypsy was curled up next to her head, purring.

The next morning was hectic. Shannon was dressed and fed in record time, focusing instead on getting Gypsy in her pet carrier and getting her trunk packed full of her new stuff. She slipped a black robe on over her jeans, sticking her new wand into her pocket. According to her father, the wand was made of mahogany and the heartstring of the very Hungarian Horntail her father had battled in his fourth year at Hogwarts.

The group finally got their luggage ready to leave and made it to the train station. There was a strange moment when she had to run straight at a wall, but instead of hitting it, she passed through it onto a platform. Her father led her to the

Getting on the train was hectic. The kids wrestled their trunks up the steps, finally getting them up, and started looking for a compartment. Several Third-years, both girls and boys, stopped to say hello to James and invite him to sit with them, but he always declined. He stayed with Shannon, Albus, and Rose. When they finally did find a compartment, the train was starting to get ready to leave the station. The compartment was empty, other than one small blonde.

"Is anyone sitting here?" Shannon asked. The girl looked up, startled, her curls bouncing slightly. Her eyes were a clear blue, and she held a white kitten in her lap. She smiled up at them, shaking her head.

"No, come sit down," she chirped in a high, musical voice. The four of them crowded in, stacking their trunks in corners. Shannon pulled Gypsy out of the carrier, watching as the small feline curled up in the seat next to her.

"I'm James," James said, offering a hand. The girl shook it.

"I'm Adair," she responded.

"That's my sister Shannon, my brother Albus, and my cousin Rose," James pointed at each of them as he said their name.

"Are you all new students?" she asked curiously, mainly directing the question at James. He looked offended.

"Excuse me, but I happen to be a Third Year! The others are First Years, but I am much too mature to be taken as a first year!" he pouted, taking on a whiny tone. She giggled.

"Well, if your tone doesn't prove that, I don't know what will!" she teased. James smiled, a mischievous smile that placed a twinkle in his eye. Shannon watched the whole thing, planning to use the moment against her older brother at the next opportunity.

"So are you a First Year?" Al asked the petite girl.

"Actually, I'm a Second Year. But I'm in the Third Year classes because my grades are so good," Adair replied, looking at James. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Just then, the compartment door opened. Two girls entered.

"Hi, James!" they giggled. "We were wondering if you might want to join us in our compartment."

"Thanks, but I'm already settled in here. We're having fun, aren't we Adair?" James cocked his head at the blonde, ignoring the other girls.

"Yeah," Adair mumbled, smiling at him. The other girls glared at her, turned on their heels, and left.

The ride to Hogwarts was long but fun. A trolley came around with sweets, and James bought lots of chocolate, sharing most of it with Adair. Shannon and Rose talked about books, Hogwarts, and what classes they were looking forward to. For Rose, it was Astronomy, but for Shannon it was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Al chimed in that he couldn't wait to learn to fly, so that he could be on the Quidditch Team just like Harry. Shannon asked what Quidditch was, and the rest of the trip was spent trying to explain to her how to play. Then they changed into their school robes, stashing their normal, or Muggle, clothes in their trunks.

When they finally got off the train, there was mass chaos. James and Adair disappeared, leaving Rose, Shannon, and Albus to find their own way. They were looking at each other hopelessly when they heard someone calling for all the First Years.

The man calling was impossibly large. He was almost twice the height of a normal man, maybe three or four times wider, and had hands the size of trash can lids and feet the size of baby dolphins. His beard and hair were long, wild, and tangled, but his eyes were kind.

"Hagrid!" Rose and Al greeted the giant. Shannon looked at them, confused.

"Rose, Albus, how're ya doin'?" he growled.

"We're good. Hagrid, did you talk to Dad recently?" Albus replied. Hagrid nodded.

"Aye, I sure did! Is this 'er then? It this yer sister?" Hagrid gestured to Shannon, and she tried not to flinch.

"This is Shannon," Rose introduced. "Shannon, this is Hagrid. He's one of Harry's best friends."

Shannon greeted the man, processing this information. Hagrid gathered all the first years together and led them to boats sitting on a black lake. There were gasps from the students as they all got their first view of Hogwarts. It was more castle than school, with its towers and turrets. They were carried through a tunnel, into an underground harbor, and then led up stone steps to a door. They were met by a woman with graying black hair pulling into a tight bun and a face set with wrinkles. She was standing extraordinarily straight and the students fell silent when they saw her. She led them to a small chamber, explaining that sorting would begin soon.

Rose and Albus grinned, talking quietly about the different houses and the Sorting Hat. Shannon absorbed as much information as she could, decided that she wanted to be a Ravenclaw or maybe a Hufflepuff. She wasn't necessarily brave, so she didn't think the Gryffindors would be the right crowd to hang around. The Slytherins were the pure-bloods and the elite, and even though they were apparently a lot nicer now than before, she still didn't want to be surrounded by them.

When they walked into the Great Hall, the first thing they noticed was the High Table. There were teachers seated there, all looking oddly normal in the strange place. There were also four long tables stretching down the hall, one for each table.

The First Years stopped in front of a stool with a dirty, old hat sitting on it. They watched as the hat moved, a tear opening like a mouth. It sang a song about Hogwarts, and how every year a new crop of students were brought in for its choosing and approval. Everyone applauded at the end, though Rose whispered to Shannon about it being an odd song.

The students were called up one by one alphabetically, sitting on the stool and placing the hat on their heads. The hat would call out a house, and that would be where they would sit. The group thinned out more and more, and finally the list came to the M's. But instead of calling 'Mitchell, Shannon', they went right on to 'Mochrie, Mildred', Shannon turned to Rose. The bushy-haired girl shrugged, looking confused.

They passed through more students. They reached the P's. 'Potter, Albus' was called, and immediately announced as Gryffindor. The table cheered loudly as Al sat down. Then, the woman called 'Potter, Shannon'. Shannon sighed, half relieved and half confused, making her way to the front. The hall fell silent, watching the unknown Potter girl make sit down and place the hat on her head. It seemed like forever before the hat called out her house.

"GRYFFINDOR! Just like her father!" it called. The Gryffindors screamed their approval, but Shannon felt let down or confused. She wasn't sure she liked being in the house of bravery. She contemplated this, waiting for Rose. They finally called 'Weasley, Rose' and put her in Gryffindor almost immediately.

Dinner passed quickly, with lots of talking and laughing. The headmaster, the woman they had been led in by, gave a short speech about this being a new year with new chances. The prefects led them up flights of stairs, through a painting of a knight that required a password into a tower and directed them up the stairs to the dormitories. Rose and Shannon were in a dormitory together, with a small strawberry blonde named Tabitha Garnet and a tall black-haired Gwendolyn Waters. That night, the four girls fell sound asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows, too excited and nervous for the next day to put into words.

**Ok, well, I hope you liked it. If you did, or if you didn't for that matter, please let me know. Just press the review button! Please!**


	3. Chapter 3: Spells and Mistletoe

**A/N: Ok, sorry it's a bit short. I'm having a bit of a hard time writing this one, as I keep coming up with ideas for the group's older years, but I am still in their first year. I'm not sure how much more of their first year I am going to write. I can't wait until about the fourth year, I really can't. Anyway, thanks to my one reviewer, eviltwin2318. You make my day! Another chapter for you! Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters.**

Chapter Three

In the next few days, the school fell into a sort of routine. There was breakfast in the Great Hall in the morning. Albus and Shannon were usually finishing homework, or else begging Rose to finish it for them. This was also the time when the owls would bring the mail, letters and packages from home. Once ever other week, Molly Weasley would send care packages to each of them. These were usually boxes loaded down with sweets that she made. Shannon received letters from her mother every few days, and she always wrote back immediately.

After breakfast, they had two long class periods. Lunch took place from twelve noon to one o'clock, and then they had more classes. Afternoon break took place later, and then more classes until five. Dinner was served in the evening, and then the students were expected to stay in the common rooms. The only time the students were allowed to be outside at night was the occasional astronomy class in the Astronomy Tower. Of course, this never seemed to stop James from sneaking out to see Adair.

The best time of the week was Friday afternoons, which the First Years got their afternoon class time to spend outside or doing homework or anything. Shannon and Albus usually visited Hagrid or sat by the lake with friends. Rose liked to spend her free time in the library or the common room, finishing homework.

Shannon was glad that she immediately found friends in her classmates. Gwendolyn and Tabitha were like sisters to her, as was Rose, and Albus's friends Shaw Thomas and Fletcher Finnegan were becoming close as well. The only bad thing about her classmates was the Slytherins. The boy she had met in the bookstore, Scorpius Malfoy, was becoming a problem. His friends Flint and Vaughn were just as mean and very, very large. So large that at times they resembled nearly bald gorillas.

Scorpius and Shannon were immediate enemies. They shared Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration, and had immediately taken up their original hatred of each other. Every time she got an answer wrong, he laughed in his malicious way. The rivalry extended past just their classes, and into their social lives. Shannon, Albus, and Rose had to keep their wands at the ready in the halls, because the little blonde had taken to shooting hexes at them.

One Friday, Shannon had managed to drag Rose, Tabitha, and Gwen out of the dorm to go sit out in the early fall weather. They met up with Al, Shaw, and Fletcher under their favourite tree. Rose immediately pulled out her textbooks and started working on her homework with Shaw, while Fletcher and Gwen played Exploding Snap. Shannon, Al, and Tabitha sat and talked. Everything was fine for awhile. Others would come by to say hello. Louis walked by, his blonde hair looking completely silver in the light. Victoire and Teddy walked by, hand in hand. James and Adair passed, stopping to say hello, and Dominique waved slightly from her spot across the lawn with her Slytherin housemates. Then, Scorpius appeared.

Albus and Shannon tensed as the Slytherins made their way over in a group, Scorpius in the front. Shannon pulled out her wand, holding it loosely in her hand. Albus stood behind her, scowling, with Shaw and Fletcher next to him. Rose glared from her seat on the ground, while Gwen and Tabitha stood nearer.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the sorriest bunch of Gryffindors I've ever seen," Scorpius smirked, crossing his arms and striking a pose that couldn't have been pulled off by a model on a runway, but which he managed to look quite natural in. Shannon snorted unceremoniously.

"Look, everyone, it's Britain's Next Top Model contestant, Scorpius Malfoy!" Albus spoke in a sarcastically excited voice that was two octaves higher than his normal tone. Scorpius's eyes narrowed, but other than that his expression stayed the same icy smile.

"At least people enjoy looking at me," he replied lightly.

"No, people enjoy _laughing_ at you. You've got it confused," Shannon explained.

"Oh, shut up, love child," Scorpius sneered. Shannon's grip on her wand tightened.

"At least my parents care about me," she snarled.

"Your parents meaning your whore of a mother and cheating father?" Scorpius cocked his head to one side, as if he was trying to remember something. Shannon's self-control snapped. She stepped forward, her wand out in front of her.

"Watch it, blondie!" she growled. Scorpius glared at her, his own wand held out in front of him as well. She saw his body tensed, and then he flicked his wand at her.

"_Densaugeo_!" he cried at the same moment that she cried "_Protego!_"

"_Rictusempra_!" Albus shot the tickling spell at the mass of Slytherins in a jet of silver, hitting Scorpius by a hair. The blonde twitched violently, trying not to laugh or drop to the floor or anything else unmanly. His face contorted into a gruesome smile, his teeth clenched. Shannon walked towards him until their bodies were inches apart. She pressed her wand into his chest, her eyes steely. Then, she did something no one could have predicted; she murmured the counter-jinx. He stopped twitching, shaking slightly where he stood.

"No one calls my mom a whore," she breathed into his ear. Then she turned and walked away, followed by the rest of the Gryffindors. Scorpius stared after her for a moment before crumpling to the ground.

~*~

For awhile after that, Scorpius was different. It wasn't that he was nice, or friendly in any manner, it was simply that he didn't acknowledge her presence. Shannon was fine with this, and it made the days even better for her. The castle had an excited buzz in the air as Christmas Holiday drew nearer. Shannon and Rose couldn't wait to see their parents again. Then one morning, they received a letter.

The letter was from the whole gang of adults back at the Burrow and the Hollow. It stated that Rose, Albus, Shannon, James, Victoire, Dominique, Louis, and Teddy would be staying at Hogwarts for the holiday. Apparently, there had been an incident at the Burrow that involved Uncle George's new products for the joke shop. The whole house had been shrunk, and they couldn't for the life of them make it normal-sized again. There simply wasn't room for everyone to stay in the Hollow, and it would be easier for the students to stay at school. The parents sent their love and promised there would be presents waiting for them on Christmas day.

Shannon was a bit upset, as she had been looking forward to seeing her mother, but these thoughts were soon forgotten as classes ended and snow started falling. It soon covered the grounds like a very large white blanket. The students held huge snowball wars and built families of snowmen. Then, in the evenings, they would curl up in the common rooms and play Exploding Snap or dare each other to eat the particularly disgusting Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

On Christmas Eve, Shannon was making her way back to Gryffindor Tower after spending an afternoon in the Library finishing an extra credit Potions paper. She was walking silently, admiring the decorations in the castle when she slammed into something solid. Her books flew out of her arms, and she herself was knocked onto the floor. When she looked up to see what she had bumped into, she saw none other than Scorpius Malfoy standing in front of her, looking down at her. He silently offered an arm, and she took it. When she was back on her feet, Shannon straightened her robes and bent down to pick up her books. To her surprise, so did he.

"Oooh, look at da wittle firsties in da corridor!" Peeves cooed from above them. Shannon sighed.

"Go away, Peeves," she said.

"Now, now, it's Christmas Eve! And you know what? You can't have Christmas Eve without mistletoe!" he cried. Shannon cursed under her breath, looking up. Sure enough, there was a bit of the offending holly suspended above their heads.

"Peeves, go away! I have half a mind to call the Bloody Baron!" she warned. The poltergeist just laughed merrily.

"Go on, now. You two were caught under the mistletoe! You have to kiss!" He cackled. Shannon gave an exasperated sigh, ready to yell at him, when Scorpius moved. He walked closer to her, books in his arms. He slipped the books into her arms, kissed her gently on the lips for a few seconds, and turned to Peeves.

"Go bother someone else." He spoke calmly, in an emotionless voice. Peeves swooped off, cackling loudly. Scorpius walked away, leaving an extremely baffled Shannon alone in the hallway, one hand brushing her lips. Then she took off, running to find Rose.

Rose was in the common room, a book in her lap and Shaw beside her.

"Rose! Rose, you will not believe what just happened!" Shannon cried as she sat down in an armchair. Fletcher and Albus looked up from their game of cards and Rose put a bookmark in her book.

"What just happened, Shannon?" she asked in her calm manner. Shannon took a deep breath before closing her eyes and admitting.

"Scorpius…he kissed me." There was silence for a full five seconds before the group reacted.

"He WHAT?" Albus cried, throwing his cards down.

"He kissed you?!?" Fletcher said, infuriated.

"Scorpius MALFOY? Kissed YOU?" Shaw clarified. Rose, for her part, stayed calm.

"Explain. What happened?" the bushy-haired girl asked.

So Shannon told her. She explained everything, from the library to Peeves to the kiss. She was met again with silence, and then Albus stood up.

"Al, where are you going?" Shannon asked.

"To tell the slimy git that he needs to keep his lips to himself," the black-haired boy answered, as if it were the most normal response in the world. Fletcher nodded, standing up.

"No, guys, don't do that. He didn't hurt anyone! He was helping me. Peeves would have given me hell if he hadn't done that! And it's Christmas Eve!" Shannon reminded them, ignoring the whisper in the back of her mind that was reminding her how much she had liked the kiss. Albus and Fletcher argued with her for awhile, but they stayed in the common room.

The rest of the night was quiet. They stayed in the common room until it grew light outside, and then they headed off to get a few meager hours' sleep before the house-elves brought in the presents in the morning.

Shannon drifted off to sleep, her fingertips brushing her lips as she remembered the kiss. Her first kiss. Given to her on Christmas Eve by the only person at Hogwarts that she truly despised. The last thing she thought before sleep claimed her was that, if she didn't like him, why could she still feel his kiss on her lips?

**Ok, hope you enjoyed! I'm posting this at 2:11 am, after working through a migraine for about an hour, trying to push through the boring chapters. Review if you want more! I need sleep. Goodnight!**

**-Ms. Bells Swan**


	4. Chapter 4: Changing Pace

**A/N: Ok. Sorry it took so long to post this…finals and all…anyway, I've received several comments so far, and I appreciate the feedback, even though one or two were just a little bit harsh. Hope you like this chapter! It starts a spiral of events that…well, you'll see. Anyway, I was going to take them through each year in detail, but I couldn't wait that long to get to the teenage years. I completely killed my timeline doing this, but whatever. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it! I really don't, I swear.**

Chapter Four

On Christmas morning, Shannon was woken by Rose squealing with delight.

"Wake up! Shannon, wake up, it's Christmas! Shannon!" the bushy-haired girl cried, hitting Shannon repeatedly with a pillow. Shannon groaned, opening one eye and squinting against the bright light shining in her eyes. Gwen and Tabitha had gone home for the holiday, as had most of the Gryffindors. In fact, the Weasleys and the Potters were the only Gryffindors in the common room except for Shaw and Fletcher. Shannon sighed and rolled out of bed.

"Ok, ok. Good morning, happy Christmas, I'm officially awake," she exclaimed dramatically, pulling on a pair of jeans and slipping her black robes on like a jacket over a white tank top. After slipping her wand in her pocket and sliding her feet into a pair of black boots, she followed Rose to the common room.

The complete inhabitants of Gryffindor Tower were crowded around a humongous tree decorated with tons of ornaments and other decorations, including real faeries. Beneath the tree was a huge mass of wrapped gifts. Shannon settled herself on the floor in front of Fletcher and Gypsy padded up next to her. Rose got everyone quiet.

"Ok, everyone. I know this is a little different from normal Hogwarts Christmases, but I don't care. We are going to have a family Christmas celebration whether we are home or not. So, everyone grab your own presents. Enjoy opening them here, with your family," she instructed.

The Weasleys and Potters lost no time in tearing into their gifts. The packages were laden with books, sweets, and other parcels that made people gasp out loud with their glory. Suddenly, Rose shrieked delightedly. Everyone turned. She was holding a half-opened package on her lap and staring at a picture in her hands.

"Rose, what is it? What did you get?" Shannon asked. Rose handed her the photo with shaking hands, beaming. Shannon took it and studied it, beaming as well.

The picture contained a familiar thirty-some woman with curly brown hair and dark eyes, smiling as widely as possible and holding a small bundle of blankets. Curled up in the blankets was a baby, an adorable little girl. The caption scrawled on the back of the picture, which was moving, read "Lydia Anne Weasley, born December 23, 2017". Shannon squealed, passing the photograph around and hugging Rose.

"Congratulations! You got a little sister for Christmas!" Shannon laughed. Rose giggled, wiping a tear from her eyes.

The day progressed in a fast, fun manner. The Weasleys and the Potters had snowball fights, made igloos and snowmen, and then changed into dry clothes for the feast.

When they entered the Great Hall, they were fairly surprised to see that the house tables were gone, replaced by one solitary table that sat in the center of the chamber. Professor McGonagall and the other teachers were sitting at the table, and there were a few students making there way to seats. The Weasleys and Potters took their seats.

The feast was delicious, as usual. The teachers and students talked and pulled poppers and ate as much as they could. Then as everyone stood up, James spoke.

"Professor McGonagall, I was wondering. There are so few people staying for the holiday, and most of us are family anyway, that the common rooms are so lonely. Can we all spend tonight in the Great Hall? Conjure up some sleeping bags, maybe some hot cocoa?" James asked. The teachers looked at each other, debating. Professor McGonagall smiled.

"If you wish. However, I must insist that the Head Boy supervise. Would you do that Teddy?" she asked. The blue haired boy nodded, smiling. Everyone stepped away from the table. McGonagall waved her wand, and the long table was replaced by plush purple sleeping bags and comfy armchairs. The teachers said goodnight, warned them not to overstep any boundaries, and left.

Shannon, Rose, Albus, Shaw, and Fletcher immediately grabbed sleeping bags, pulling them close to the fire that had appeared in the fireplace. James soon joined them, followed by Dominique and Louis. Teddy and Victoire were curled up in an armchair. There were a few Hufflepuffs that were talking idly in a corner, and a Ravenclaw or two somewhere in the mix, but there were no Slytherins to be found.

"I'm going to go find Gypsy," Shannon announced, getting to her feet. She slipped out of the Great Hall and up the stairs. As she was climbing, she saw the grey cat slinking towards her. She bent down, scooped the kitten up, and stood up. When she turned around, she literally had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming. Standing there, watching her with a bored expression, was possibly the only Slytherin in the castle.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Shannon asked, sighing. Scorpius sneered.

"I was wondering when you'd find your cat, Potter. She's been following me around all day," he sneered.

"Well, I've got her now, so there's no need for you to hang around," she replied. Scorpius smirked but didn't move.

"So, I believe you owe me a thank you," he stated.

"For what?" Shannon spoke, dreading the answer.

"Why, for that kiss, of course. You see, I helped you out there. Peeves would have followed you around for the rest of your life if I hadn't helped you out back there," he pointed out. Shannon scoffed, turning on her heel and stalking off.

"You're welcome," Scorpius called sarcastically. Shannon kept walking, all the way back to the Great Hall. She soon had forgotten about Scorpius and the kiss, laughing amidst her friends and family.

The rest of the year passed quickly, full of excitement. Soon, exams were upon the school, and the library was full of last minute studiers. After exams came the time to pack and go home. Shannon was excited to see her mother again, and to see little Lydia in person, but she was sad to be leaving Hogwarts. Then came the summer, and then it was September first and they were returning for their second year.

The years passed in due time. When Shannon, Rose, and Al were returning for their third year, Hugo and Lily were first years. Teddy had left Hogwarts, going on to work as an Auror for the Ministry of Magic, and Victoire was often seen writing letters and receiving owls. The third years were allowed to visit Hogsmeade on weekends, and Shannon loved those trips. It was also in their third year that Albus made it as a Seeker onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Then it was their fourth year, and Victoire had gone.

Returning for their fifth year was definitely an excitement. There had been several changes with them. Albus had grown taller, his black hair just as wild as ever, and seemed to have taken after James regarding girls. Rose's bushy hair had grown to about her waist, and had started to form loose curls instead of a frizzy mess. Shannon was still shorter than most of the fifth years, with more sturdily built curves. Her eyes were still bright green, and many people were scared to confront her because her eyes were apparently frightening when she was mad. Lily and Hugo were third years. Victoire and Teddy were married, after an extravagant wedding. Dominique was working for Amedee's Robes for All Occasions, living closer to work in a flat in London. Louis was Head Boy. James had been recruited to play Keeper for England. Even Scorpius had changed; he was taller, more muscular because of Quidditch, and his hair had grown out. All in all, things had changed.

"Shannon! Shannon, let's go! It can't possibly take you that long to get dressed!" Gwen called as she waited outside the bathroom. Shannon was the last of their group to be ready, but she wanted to make sure she looked perfect. One last look in the mirror and she was out the door, making her way to the common room. Gwen, Tabitha, and Rose were following her, all checking their outfits. Anyone passing them knew why. It was the first trip to Hogsmeade of the year, and the four of them were going with Albus, Fletcher, and Shaw. Rose was absolutely in love with Shaw, Tabitha fancied Al, and Gwen adored Fletcher. Shannon, though she would never admit it, had an interest in Fletcher as well. But Gwen noticed him first, so Shannon would simply pretend she didn't have such feelings.

They met the boys by the portrait hole, and together the group made their way out of the castle. The crowds in Hogsmeade were made up almost completely of Hogwarts students relishing the freedom.

The group of seven visited Honeydukes first, buying as much candy as they could carry. Then they visited Zonko's and stocked up on practical joke items. Finally, they squeezed into the Three Broomsticks for butterbeers. The group was laughing and flirting, everyone except Shannon. She got bored after a bit, and so she excused herself, deciding that she was going to visit the Shrieking Shack. She hiked up the hill, enjoying the crisp winter breeze, and leaned on the fence surrounding the Shrieking Shack. She sighed.

"I'm too nice, that's what it is," she told herself as she thought about the Gwen-liking-Fletcher ordeal.

"I agree. You're much too nice," came a voice from behind her. She spun around, wand out, to find Scorpius smirking at her. She dropped her wand.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Shannon asked, glaring at the blonde. He held his hands up in mock surrender.

"I'm agreeing with you, Potter! I'm posing no immediate threat, so calm down!" Shannon considered this, studying him suspiciously.

"So, if you aren't going to attack me, what are you doing here?" she asked hesitantly. He sighed.

"Pretty much what you're doing. Only, without the storming around and throwing a tantrum," he smirked. At her clueless look, he added, "Exploring the marvels of the Shrieking Shack in the snow!" Shannon rolled her eyes.

"Well, don't let me stand in your way," she insisted, moving to the side and gesturing to the house. Scorpius got a mischevious look in his eyes and strode to the fence. Then, with a glance around, he climbed up, threw his legs over, and jumped down on the other side. He walked a few feet and then turned back to her.

"You coming?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"What? You expect me to go with you, to wreak who know how much havoc?" she cried incredulously. He snorted.

"I just thought you might like a closer look at the infamous Shrieking Shack. And you never know, it might be a bit warmer inside," he replied. Shannon studied him for a moment, thinking about her other options. She could follow Scorpius into the house, she could stand in the cold, or she could go back to the Three Broomsticks and track down her friends, including Gwen and Fletcher. The thought of watching Gwen with her long, perfectly manicured nails all over Fletcher made Shannon's stomach twist painfully. She threw herself over the fence and followed Scorpius up the path to the Shack.

They ducked up by the door. Scorpius waved the wand, murmured a spell, and the door creaked open. The blonde strode in like he owned the place, while Shannon was a bit more hesitant. He had been right, it was a bit warmer with the walls to block the wind. However, it was also even creepier inside than it was outside. Shannon carefully picked her way through the minefield of rotting wooden planks and found Scorpius sitting on a moldy, moth-eaten gray couch. She sat next to him, watching him wave his wand around. He lit a fire in the fireplace, summoned two candlesticks, and lit the candles. He handed one to her before taking his own and walking out.

"I'm going upstairs," he called to her from the corridor. Shannon sighed, sat back on the couch, and tried to warm up. Eventually Scorpius walked back in and joined her again on the old couch. He waved his wand, and a tray of food appeared, floating in front of them. Shannon took a sandwich, chewing slowly.

"Ok, I'm confused," she asked abruptly. He looked at her.

"About what, exactly?" Scorpius raised an eyebrow at her.

"This! What, is it a trap? Is a band of ninjas going to jump out and attack me? I mean, we aren't friends. We don't even like each other, normally. But you haven't insulted me or tried to hex me, not even once! What's going on?" Shannon asked, exasperated. Scorpius sighed, smirking at her.

"Would it make you feel better if I shot a Jelly-Legs hex at you? Or how about a Full Body-Bind? Why do you have such a problem with us getting along?" Scorpius asked her.

"Because you're a Slytherin and I'm a Gryffindor. You're 'the son of Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass' and I'm the 'love child' of Harry Potter and my 'whoring mother!'" Shannon quoted him, her anger and frustration rising. Scorpius looked thoroughly bewildered.

"You think that, because we got sorted into two different houses when we were _eleven_, we can't get along? Isn't that the exact opposite of what your father has been working so hard to achieve?!?" he asked angrily. It was true; Harry had been working extremely hard to unite wizards and witches everywhere since the downfall of Voldemort. Shannon ignored the comment.

"I'd just like to know when you are going to be nice and when you're going to hate me! I could get whiplash from your mood swings!" Shannon jumped up, irritated, and glared. Scorpius stood, pacing furiously, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well what am I supposed to do about it?!?"

"Give me a sign or something! A colored scarf, a secret handshake, anything! Just explain to me why you're acting this way!" Shannon screamed. Scorpius glared daggers at her. Suddenly he walked to her quickly, throwing himself in her face.

"Fine!" Scorpius yelled, his eyes a bright, molten silver. "You want to know why I'm being so nice? You want an explanation for why I'm acting so weird? It's because I like you!" he roared. Shannon's breath caught in her chest, and every possible retort she might have had flew from her head.

"You…you what?" she whispered, staring up at the tall blonde with wide eyes. He stared back at her. She was suddenly acutely aware of how close his body was to hers.

"I like you," he repeated softly, calmly watching her. She stepped back and looked at the floor.

"You…like…me?" Shannon clarified. He nodded. "But…but you can't like me. You're Scorpius Malfoy. I'm Shannon Mitch-er, Potter. And…and…and you're a Slytherin!" she insisted, turning away from him.

"I don't care who our parents are. I like you, Shannon. I want to go out with you. I want to get to know you. I like you," Scorpius repeated softly. Shannon's mind went blank, except for one thought. _Scorpius Malfoy likes me._ She slowly turned to him.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I don't like you. I don't want to date you," she informed him calmly. Scorpius looked like he had been slapped.

"Why not?" he asked, his voice shaking only slightly.

"Because I…I…I'm already in love with Fletcher!" she said sharply, casting around for any excuse. His eyes narrowed into slits and he crossed his arms stiffly, suddenly very formal.

"I see. Well, he doesn't seem to feel the same way about you, does he? If he did, you would be the one sitting in the Three Broomsticks, flirting with him," Scorpius snarled, looking and sounding deadly. Shannon gasped softly as the insult hit her harder than any curse or hex could have. She pulled on her cloak quickly.

"I-I have to go," she mumbled, tears filling her eyes as she made a hasty retreat.

Shannon didn't pay much attention to anything as she raced blindly down the path to Hogsmeade. The tears were flowing steadily as she stumbled to the square. The world was a blur. With no warning, she pitched forward into the snow. Instead of getting up, however, she knelt there is the snow, sobbing into her hands with her shoulders slumped.

She lied there in the snow for who knows how long, with no intent to move. She didn't feel like getting up, didn't feel like moving at all. Shannon felt the cold permeating her body, felt her fingers and toes start to go numb. She felt strangely tired, and closed her eyes. There was something nagging at her in the back of her mind, something important, but every time she tried to remember, it would disappear. She was too tired to chase after it. That was the last thing she consciously knew before she blacked out.

**Ok…hope you liked it. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5: Hypothermia

**A/N: Ok, here's the next chapter. Sorry if you don't like the way I wrote it, but I like it and I'm the one controlling the story. If you have suggestions, criticism, or helpful hints just review.**

** By the way, who is in favor of Ginny cheating on Harry? I need to add some form of hate between Shannon and the other Potters. I'm thinking that would be good, either Ginny cheating with Draco (because I am a major fan of Ginny/Draco) or Harry cheating with Michelle (because he already did that once). Who's for and who's against?**

** I'm going to stop babbling. Enjoy the chapter, there's more to come. And soon, I hope. Ok. I'll shut up. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, its plots, or its characters.**

Chapter Five

It was dark. It was black and calm and cool. Then it was loud. Loud and bright and busy. That was when the pain started. Shannon cried out as every single inch of her body began tingling and burning like it was on fire. She tried to keep her eyes closed, but the pain became too much. She opened her eyes, trying to find the source of the intense pain.

"Now, now, stop fidgeting. It's going to hurt for a moment, that's the way the potion works!" Madam Pomfrey told her. Shannon was in the Hospital Wing.

"What potion?" Shannon asked through clenched teeth.

"Well, I tried a Pepperup Potion. It gave you a bit more color, but your lips were still blue. Then I tried a stronger Pepperup. You sort of twitched, but still not enough. Then I tried a warming potion. You were still that blasted blue-white, so I got out my super-heaters. Professor Bogg isn't too pleased with you, he had to whip up more potions today that all last month," the nurse replied crisply, muttering under her breath about lazy Potions instructors.

"Um, what happened?" Shannon asked, blinking slowly. She was confused, wondering why she would have needed all these potions.

"Well, far as I can tell, you were lying in the snow and got extreme hypothermia. I have no idea as to why you were lying in the snow, but that's what the young man who brought you in said."

"Wait. What young man?" Shannon asked sharply, suddenly suspicious. Madam Pomfrey motioned to someone, who slowly opened the curtain around her bed and stepped towards her. Shannon let out a small sigh of relief. The person standing in front of her couldn't have been less like who she was expecting.

Instead of white-blonde hair, this boy had a shock of black curls framing his face. Where there would have been silvery gray eyes, there were strange violet ones. Instead of Slytherin apparel, this stranger wore a Ravenclaw scarf and black cloak. He was also looking at her with a worried expression instead of sneering.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concern written on his face. Shannon snorted unceremoniously.

"Stupid question," she mumbled. He laughed.

"I guess so, considering I pulled you from the snow," he paused, considering her.

"Yeah…what happened, exactly?" Shannon asked, relaxing a bit as the tingling faded. The strange boy raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know?"

"No, I really can't remember anything past running away from the Shrieking Shack…" she trailed off, trying to remember what happened after that. She knew she had been crying, and that she had tripped…had she hit her head?

"Well, I found you on the pathway about halfway to Hogsmeade. You were completely out. It looked like there were tears frozen on your face or something, but I don't know why," this boy told her.

"What's your name?" she asked suddenly.

"Booth Cutting, Ravenclaw Sixth Year. And you are?" he offered a hand. She shook it weakly.

"Shannon Mitch-er, Potter. Gryffindor Fifth Year."

"Well, 'Shannon Mitch-er, Potter, Gryffindor Fifth Year', I'm extremely glad you're okay," Booth told her. She blushed a bit, but didn't think he could tell because her whole body was about two shades redder than normal because of the potion.

"Er, thanks," she said. At that moment, Madam Pomfrey decided it was time for Shannon to get some rest. Booth said goodbye and left the Hospital Wing. Shannon wondered whether she would ever talk to him again.

Later that evening, her friends all burst in. Rose and Albus were leading the pack, Lily and Hugo close on their tails. Fletcher, Gwen, Shaw, and Tabitha hung back a bit. Fletcher and Gwen were holding hands, and Shannon suddenly felt way too weary to be dealing with them.

"Shannon! Oh no, Shannon, are you okay? Oh, we never should have let you go off by yourself like that! Some Ravenclaw Sixth Year told us you were up here! What happened? Oh, are you okay? I told them we should have looked for you, but they said you were fine! You're not fine, you're in the Hospital Wing!" Rose was freaking out. Albus rolled his eyes at her.

"Shannon, what happened?" He asked calmly. Shannon took a deep breath, prepared to edit her story as she told it.

"I left Three Broomsticks. I walked to the Shrieking Shack. On my way back, I tripped in the snow. I must have hit my head or something. Booth found me, brought me back here. Madam Pomfrey gave me some super-heater potion or something."

The group sighed. Rose calmed down. They all told her how glad they were that she was okay. Then they wished her well and left. Shannon suddenly felt exhausted. She also felt cold, as the last effects of the potion were fading away. She pulled the blankets up even higher on her, drifting off to sleep.

Shannon stayed in the hospital bed for several days. Every time she got cold, Madam Pomfrey forced her to take goblet after goblet of potion. She slept most of the time, having weird dreams about a blonde-haired boy dueling with an eagle. She woke up many times to find either Scorpius, Booth, or both sitting next to her bed and watching her. One such time, she woke up as they were talking, but she pretended to be asleep.

"So why are you always here?" Booth asked Scorpius in a whisper. "Is she your girlfriend or something?"

"No!" Scorpius replied harshly. "I just feel bad. It's my fault she was running."

"Is it your fault she was crying?" Booth questioned, sounding slightly threatening.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," Scorpius responded coolly. "And why are you here so often? You don't even know her!"

"I'm the one who pulled her out of the snow!" Booth started. Shannon couldn't help it. She moved, stretched out. Both boys fell silent, watching her 'wake up'. She blinked blearily.

"Booth, could you get Madam Pomfrey? I'm really cold," she started in a soft voice. Then, when Booth was gone, she narrowed her eyes at Scorpius. "What are you doing here?" she glared.

"I'm making sure you're okay," he told her forcefully. Before she could respond, Madam Pomfrey bustled in with a goblet. Shannon downed it. Booth took his seat again.

Things continued this way for four days. Finally, Madam Pomfrey let Shannon go.

It was Christmas holiday before anyone expected it to be. The day before holiday, a notice appeared in the common room. Hogwarts was to have a Christmas Ball, held on Christmas Eve. All Hogwarts alumni were invited as well as current students from fourth year up. Shannon was extremely excited. She couldn't wait to dress up, and she would write her mother to ask for a dress.

The girls all over school were excited, while the guys were stressed over the issue of dates. The whole school was buzzing. One day after dinner, Shannon left the Great Hall alone. She wanted to get to the Owlery, to write to her mother. She heard footsteps running up behind her and turned around to see Booth catching up to her.

"Hi," she started awkwardly.

"Hello," he replied, just as uncomfortably. They started walking again.

"So, thanks for pulling me out of the snow and all," she said. He waved it off, watching her with a strange, nervous expression.

"Dyawangoballwime?" he asked rapidly.

"What?" Shannon said, looking at him. He took a deep breath.

"Do you want, that is to say, would you like to go to the ball? With me, I mean," Booth watched her face.

"You mean…as your date?" Shannon clarified. He nodded. She smiled. "Sure. I'll go with you. I would love to go with you," she answered. He beamed, said goodbye, and ran off. Shannon shook her head, wondering what could have possessed him to do that.

The day of the ball drew nearer, and people slowly started pairing off into dates. Those who didn't have a date started freaking out. Several girls had meltdowns halfway through the day. Shannon's mother had given her a catalogue of dresses to order from, and Shannon had fun imagining herself in each of them. She decided on a dress, sent an owl off with the order form, and waited for her package. Finally, it had arrived and it was time to wear it.

Shannon spent the entire day leading up to the Christmas Ball locked in the dormitory with Rose, Tabitha, and Gwen. Rose was going with Shaw, Tabitha with Al, and Gwen with Fletcher. They were all thrilled for Shannon when they heard Booth had asked her.

Rose had chosen a dusty pink dress that swirled down to the floor in a mass of fabric. Gwen bought a sparkly blue dress that twinkled at every little moment. It was tight fitting, ending mid-thigh. Tabitha dressed in a gown of the darkest blue Shannon had ever seen. Shannon herself wore a floor-length empire-waist dress made of silk, lace, and chiffon. It was a dark, dangerous blood red the contrasted wonderfully with her black hair.

The girls spent many hours applying beauty potions and casting cosmetic spells to make their skin flawless and make-up perfect. The dorm was complete chaos, a maelstrom of fabric and make-up and potions and wands casting bright lights. At a last minute idea of Rose's, Shannon, Gwen, and Tabitha each tied a ribbon around their thighs and slid their wand through it. This trick soon spread to all the girls in Gryffindor, and Rose thought herself extremely clever.

At exactly seven o'clock that night, the girls trouped down to the common room, where the Gryffindor boys were waiting. Shannon had arranged to meet Booth in the Entrance Hall. Her stomach was strangely fluttery as she looked around at all the fancily dressed students. She nearly fainted every time she caught a flash of blonde hair, but she ignored it. Booth soon strode up to herm his simple black dress robes looking charming.

"Shannon, you look beautiful!" Booth complimented her, his voice sounding slightly nervous.

"Thank you! You don't look too bad yourself!" Shannon responded. Booth chuckled.

"Shall we go in?" he asked, guiding her to the door.

The Great Hall was beautifully decorated with dozens of towering Christmas trees and crystalline ice sculptures. There was a table laid out with every food imaginable, and there was a stage in the center of the room with a full orchestra of bewitched instruments, playing by themselves. The music floating around the room was enchanting, and slightly haunting. Booth led Shannon onto the dance floor, pulling her into a slow, revolving sway.

The Hall filled with students quickly. Alumni trickled in as well. Shannon watched the door almost obsessively, beaming and leaving the dance floor to greet Harry, Michelle, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione.

"Mom! Dad! Hi!" Shannon greeted them, nearly tripping over the hem of her dress in her haste to hug them. Booth, who had been on her heels the whole time, caught her elbow and helped her regain her balance. Then, while Shannon was hugging Hermione and Ron, Booth extended a hand to Harry.

"Booth Cutting. Ravenclaw," he introduced himself. Harry shook hands, a stiff smile on his face. Michelle shook hands with Booth as well, and then excused herself to get a drink. Ron leaned down to Shannon.

"Ok, where's Rose and who is she here with?" He asked crossly, the idea of his own daughter dating making him grumpy. Shannon giggled and pointed across the floor to Rose, who was attempting to hide Shaw from her father. Ron set off across the floor, Hermione following and begging him not to embarrass their eldest daughter. Suddenly, Shannon saw something that made her stomach twist painfully in a way she didn't understand.

Prudence Parkinson-Zabini had twitched by wearing a poufy green and purple dress and bearing a surprisingly strong resemblance to Barnie the dinosaur, clutching the arm of none other than Scorpius Malfoy. His dress robes were a deep emerald green. The two of them joined the other dancers as the orchestra struck up a waltz.

"Do you want to dance?" Booth asked, noticing the way she was glaring at Scorpius and attempting to distract her. She nodded. They settled into the waltz. Soon, all the alumni had arrived as well as the students, and the dance floor was packed. Shannon and Booth pushed their way out of the crowd, going to sit at a table.

"Scorpius, I don't even know why you brought me! We haven't danced more than one dance, and all you've done since is sat there and stared at that Potter girl!" Prudence's high, whiny voice shattered any sense of calm that Shannon might have had.

"If you want to dance, dance. I don't care who you dance with, but it's not going to be me!" Scorpius replied, sounding furious. The sound of heels clicking on the floor told Shannon that Prudence had stalked off.

"Booth, could you get me a drink?" Shannon asked. Booth smiled and left. Shannon turned in her seat to glare at the blonde Slytherin that was staring at her.

"Well, I see you've already managed to get rid of the one person in the room who actually enjoys being in your company," she commented.

"Why would I want to spend time with someone who looks like the main character from a children's television program?" Scorpius asked, screwing up his nose like he'd smelt something disgusting. Shannon bit back a giggle.

"Oh, I don't know. I thought she looked lovely. And she certainly seems to have a thing for you. Just wait. One day you're going to wish you hadn't pushed her away."

"I'm sorry, did you want anything in particular or were you just being the bitch that you habitually are?" Scorpius snapped. Shannon looked offended.

"Can't I comment on the romantic goings-on of my peers without being attacked?" she asked innocently.

"No!" Scorpius snarled.

"Is there something wrong here?" Booth asked from behind Shannon. She tried not to jump guiltily, telling herself she had done nothing wrong.

"Yes, would you be so kind as to tell your date to keep her bloody nose to herself?" Scorpius requested in a soft but dangerous voice.

"Watch it, blondie. Let's not start anything just now," Shannon warned, leaning around Booth; he had suddenly stepped in front of her.

"You stay out of this, Potter!" Scorpius told her. Booth's hand went into his robes and he slowly pulled his wand into view.

"Malfoy, if I were you, I would turn around and leave. Right now."

"Not a chance, Cutting! You Ravenclaws are too kind to cast the first spell," Scorpius pulled his wand out as well.

"And Slytherins are too cowardly to attack unless his opponent's back is turned!" Shannon called from her seat, surreptitiously pulling her own wand loose from the ribbon tied to her thigh. This was difficult, as they were starting to attract quite a lot of attention.

"You know what you are, Potter? A bloody, rotten whore, just like your mother!" Scorpius growled. Booth flicked his wand, calling out a spell Shannon didn't catch, but Scorpius was ready. He blocked it and shot a spell back at record speed. Booth tried to block it, but was too late. He got thrown back about ten feet. Shannon was vaguely aware that girls were screaming and people were checking on Booth, but she couldn't make herself care. The remark about her mother was still ringing in her ears. She stood, walking towards him with her wand in front of her and her eyes flashing.

"You really shouldn't have done that, Malfoy. Because, you see, now you've made me angry. And you've hurt a very dear friend of mine. Add that to all the insults and the fact that you're a brat who doesn't know his place, and you've convinced me that you need dealing with," Shannon hissed. Scorpius stood completely still, wand half-raised, but something flickered in his eyes.

"Try me, Potter," he breathed furiously. She walked closer, until the only thing separating their bodies was her wand pointed at his chest. She glared at him. She opened her mouth to murmur the hex she had been planning and-

-Scorpius leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers with such force that she stepped backward. His lips remained on hers, moving softly and with emotions Shannon couldn't even identify. She wanted so much to melt into his embrace, to kiss him back with the ferociousness she felt rising up in her, but something was holding her back. Her mother's face swam before her. Then her father's. Then an image of Booth, lying unconscious on the floor. Her eyes flew open, she pulled away swiftly, and before she could stop herself she raised her hand and slapped him across the face. He looked shocked, hurt, surprised. Then he pulled himself together and wiped all emotion from his face except the smirk he did so well.

"Enjoyed that, didn't you?" he asked her quietly. She glowered.

"Scorpius Malfoy, that's the second kiss you've taken without my consent. I don't suggest trying for three." Shannon turned on her heel and stalked off, helping her mother and father revive Booth. He insisted he was fine, but Shannon told him to go to the common room and rest. She really wasn't in the mood for the Ball anymore anyways.

Shannon was walking down the corridor towards the Gryffindor common room when she heard voices and instinctively hid behind a statue. Two figures came into view. The first was tall, a man in his forties with long silvery-blond hair and flashing grey-blue eyes. His skin was chalky and his lips thin. Shannon knew instantly that this was Draco Malfoy. The second figure was, of course, Scorpius. Only, this wasn't the Scorpius that Shannon knew. This Scorpius was soft, almost scared, with not a hint of defiance.

"Scorpius, would you like to explain to me what that little scene in the ballroom was?" Draco asked in a cool voice.

"It was nothing of importance. It was childish…Potter started it…" Scorpius mumbled. Draco sighed.

"Scorpius, I've never shared much of my childhood with you. That is because I don't want you to get the idea that hatefulness and spite are good qualities. Harry Potter and I had many fights while at school. I learned later that Harry Potter is not a bad person. He might be a bit big-headed, but he's still generally…good. You will not be mean to his family!" Draco told him sternly. Scorpius nodded, a look like relief in his eyes, but his father wasn't done yet. "That being said, I don't want you anywhere near that girl. You are not to date her, kiss her, talk to her, or even look at her unless it is part of a class. Understand?" Draco glowered. Scorpius nodded, and the two continued down the corridor towards the dungeons. Shannon continued up to the Gryffindor common room, thinking that she would have to ask her father about his years at school.

**Did you like it? Did you hate it? Let me know! Review, please! And let me know about the Ginny/Draco or Harry/Michelle. PLEASE?**


	6. Chapter 6: Moving Forward

**A/N: THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER. It may sound like it is at the end, but it's not. Now, I don't know if you'll like this or not. I sped through the last few years very quickly, but that's only because I found them so boring they weren't worth putting into detail. Also, it gets a bit confusing, and lacking in detail about Booth and Shannon. I realize that I probably could have spent more time on them in this chapter, but I didn't see a need. I hope you'll like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters.**

Chapter Six

The story of Scorpius and Shannon kissing at the Ball spread like wildfire through Hogwarts. For days, Shannon had to put up with people whispering and pointing at her in the halls and at meals. Scorpius didn't seem to have a problem with it, he simply ignored it. Shannon, however, did everything she could to get away from it. She avoided the common room, ate meals as fast as she could, and stayed away from large gatherings. She couldn't skip classes, however. The Slytherins made fun of her and the Gryffindors were wary. No one could understand that a Malfoy was in love with a Potter; it just couldn't happen. Even the teachers knew. They were often seen standing together in groups, whispering and throwing furtive glances and Shannon and Scorpius.

One day, Shannon snapped. She had heard one too many snide remarks in the Great Hall during breakfast. Then Scorpius walked in and sat down alone at the end of the Slytherin table. Shannon stood up, marched across the Hall, and grabbed his arm. He dropped the knife he was using to spread jam on a bit of toast as she pulled him out into a side corridor and shoved him in an empty classroom. He looked slightly baffled as she closed the door and locked it, still holding the piece of toast in his left hand.

"Can I help you?" he asked, staring at her in an outraged manner.

"Why is this not killing you?" Shannon glowered. Scorpius took a large bite of toast, chewing slowly before answering.

"Because I don't care what people think about me. I'm not going to let others' opinions run my life," he replied, leaning against a desk.

"Aren't you, like, the Slytherin Prince? Can't you just tell them to stop?" Shannon asked.

"Aren't you the Gryffindor Princess? If it bothers you so much, lock yourself in your tower!" He replied.

"Oh, so clever aren't you? Just-just-just leave me alone!" Shannon cried, storming out the door.

After a few weeks, people stopped talking about it. The exams came up much faster than they had thought, followed shortly by summer. Shannon didn't see much of Scorpius at all after the incident in the classroom. She caught herself scanning every room she entered, hoping to catch a glimpse of the blonde-haired Slytherin. Booth, with whom she was still spending much of her free time, usually pretended not to notice her strained neck or the expression of disappointment that followed it.

Booth came to visit many times over the summer; Harry seemed to approve of the Ravenclaw. He asked again if Shannon would be his girlfriend, and this time she said yes simply to avoid hurting his feelings. They spent most of August together, but then Booth was named Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, and they saw less of each other once they arrived at Hogwarts.

Scorpius Malfoy and Shannon Potter no longer had multiple classes together. In fact, they only shared Potions in the dungeons, and they competed fiercely for top marks.

The sixth year passed quickly and without incident. The only bit of drama came the last day of term, when Shannon broke up with Booth. Booth was understanding, knowing that he was graduating from Hogwarts and going off into the wizarding world to live his own life, but he still looked hurt all the same. Shannon only felt numb. As she walked away from her ex-boyfriend, for whom she had never really felt any sort of emotion besides friendship, she noticed a certain blonde head smirking and shaking in soft laughter. Shannon clenched her fists and ignored the Slytherin, for whom she felt stronger emotions than she had known she could feel.

In their seventh year, Fletcher and Gwen had a nasty row and broke up. This should have made Shannon happy, because Fletcher was free. But she only felt mildly interested in the whole matter. During one of the Hogsmeade trips, James showed up in the village. James had always been Shannon's favorite brother, because he had a way of putting everything into perspective. Shannon was hoping that they would have a chance to talk about her feelings for Scorpius, but soon forgot about the blonde when James gave her the news he was delivering.

"Shannon, your mother…your mother was in an accident. She had some trouble with a spell that caused the butcher knife to, well…Shannon…your mum is dead," James told her quietly, combing her hair with his fingers in a calming manner. Shannon's first instinct was to tell him that it wasn't funny, but the look in his hazel eyes told her he wasn't joking. She felt something in her break, and she sat there, no longer hearing or seeing. Tears filled up her eyes, but she refused to break down crying in the Three Broomsticks.

"James, I…I'm going to go walk to the Shrieking Shack. I'll…I'll be back soon," she deadpanned. Once out in the open, she couldn't seem to walk fast enough. She broke into a run, flying as fast as she could up the path. When she got to the old, rotting house, Shannon stopped running reluctantly. Her muscles ached, wanting to keep going. The only thing she felt like doing was running. To run and run and never stop. But there was no where else to go. She was wondering what she could possibly do to get away from it all. Her eyes lit on a tall oak tree a few feet back. The branches were thick and sturdy, and low enough that she could reach the bottom ones. Without hesitation, she jumped up onto the lowest limb and then pulled herself up. Higher and higher she traveled, finally stopping on a branch about a hundred fifty feet up. She stared out at the village, with all its hustle and bustle. Then the tears finally fell. She sat up there for awhile, crying herself out.

Suddenly, once she had wiped her eyes, Shannon noticed it had gotten darker. The sun was going down and dinner would begin soon. She knew she would need to climb down soon. She swung her legs down, dangling for a moment before grabbing another branch and shinnying down. She had barely leaned on the branch with her feet when she heard a sort of cracking sound. She threw herself upward, her arms clutching the branch above and her legs hanging below her, and then she heard the loud crack of the same branch she had been standing on moments before snapping and falling. She had a moment of relief that she hadn't fallen with it before she realized that she was now dangling from the tree with no where to go and no way to get down from here.

"HELP!" Shannon shrieked as loud as she could, thinking that someone had to hear her. James wouldn't leave without saying goodbye, he would come find her. "HELP ME! Please, someone help me!" She screamed as loud as she could. She heard footsteps below her, and her panic eased a bit.

"What are you doing up in a tree?" a snide voice asked calmly from below. Her heart froze for a moment, then went into overdrive. It was Scorpius.

"Um, falling?" she replied, as if it had been obvious. Which it should have been.

"Well, I can see that. I meant why were you up there to begin with?" Scorpius asked, sounding annoyed.

"I climbed up. I, er, wanted a better look at the village," Shannon lied. She didn't want him to know she had been crying over her mother up there.

"And now you can't manage to climb down, is that it?" he asked in his liquid smooth voice.

"The branch snapped. I can't move or I'll fall!" she called down, starting to sound panicky.

"Aha. And what were you doing in the tree again?" Scorpius teased.

"Damn it, Scorpius, will you just get me down?" Shannon yelled. He sighed and murmured a spell. She felt herself being lifted by magic into the air, and she let go of the branch. Scorpius gently lowered her to the ground, and she dropped to her knees on the ground, huddling in the grass. Scorpius stared at her from where he stood.

"Potter, have you been…crying?" he asked, sounding like he actually cared. Shannon's heart thumped in her chest.

"What does it matter to you, Malfoy?" she replied, trying to sound tough and careless, but her voice trembled and her eyes shone with fresh tears. Scorpius sat down next to her.

"What is it? What's happened?" he asked softly, reminding her so much of James it was shocking. Shannon sighed, swallowing hard.

"My…my mother is…dead," she whispered, her voice cracking on the last work. She blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears from falling again.

"Oh," Scorpius replied, exhaling loudly. He hesitated before giving her a quick, one-armed hug. Shannon remained frozen, hugging her knees to her chest. Scorpius studied her for a moment, then did something completely out of character; he pulled her into him, her head leaning on his chest as she lost control of her tears. He rubbed her back and she sobbed.

Eventually, she realized that it was almost dark. Dinner would most certainly be over by the time they got to the castle. Shannon pulled away from Scorpius, wiping her eyes and looking at him. He was watching her, a strange expression on his face.

"Well, shall we walk back to the castle?" he suggested. She nodded. They made their way up to the cottage in silence, and when they arrived they parted with no more than a nod and a whispered thank you from Shannon.

The next time they saw each other, Scorpius was back to his aloof, elite attitude. He smiled quickly at her, but then the smile vanished and he turned to make a snide remark to his fellow Slytherins. Shannon's heart sank and she tried to focus on her work.

That was the way it went for the rest of the year. Scorpius would find Shannon crying in a broom closet or cursing pin cushions in an empty classroom, and he would be sweet and kind and make her feel better. Then he would go back to his normal, smirking self. Shannon constantly had the strange feeling that they were having an affair of sorts, although they never kissed or did anything else. Sometimes they talked, other times they sat quietly, each immersed in their own thoughts. Neither old their friends or classmates about these meetings, and they never knew when one would occur. But somewhere along the way, Shannon came to regard Scorpius as more than a friend.

At the end of their seventh year, Shannon went home one more time. She visited Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Bill, Fleur, George, Molly, Arthur, and Charlie. On the night of the celebratory feast that they had completed their last year, the entire family showed up. Shannon waited until after dessert, then she got everyone's attention.

"I have an announcement to make," she called. They quieted. "As you are well aware, we have now graduated from Hogwarts. Well, now that I am of age, I have made a decision. I've decided that I am going to be moving back to the states for awhile. I was very young when I left, and I'd like to live out my childhood dream of traveling the country. I'm going alone, and I'll be leaving tomorrow morning." Shannon sat down. The table was quiet for a moment. Then Rose stood too.

"I've just found out that I've been accepted into an internship at St. Mungo's. I'll be moving to London within a week, staying with Dominique until I can get a place of my own." Rose sat as well. Albus looked back and forth between Shannon and Rose, looking lost, but remained silent. Molly cleared her throat, clearing the table with a wave of her wand. The dishes flew into the sink.

"Well, why don't we all move into the living room? I'll bring out a bottle of mead. This is a celebration, after all!" Molly said, trying to keep a smile on her face. People stood and left the room, talking in hushed voices. Shannon made to walk with them, but Harry held her back, as well as Albus. Ginny stayed near him, hovering in a corner. When the room had emptied, he cleared his throat.

"Shannon, Albus, I have something for each of you. And I have something I want to say as well." Harry pulled two small packages out of his robes. He handed the first to Albus. It was small and round. Albus took the wrapping off and stared at the small golden snitch as it unraveled its wings lazily. He looked at his dad, a question on his face.

"Albus, that snitch was left to me in the will of the Albus for whom you are named. This was the first snitch I ever caught at Hogwarts as seeker, and it helped me out in my seventh year when I fought Voldemort. I want you to keep it as a reminder that you never know what talents will spring up or what will help you out of a tight spot," Harry hugged his son, then turned to Shannon. Her gift was a small box, which she opened to find a beautiful heart-shaped locket. She opened it gently and gasped. In the windows of the locket were pictures of her mother and father. Then, while she watched, the picture changed into one of her siblings. Then it showed groups of cousins, friends, and adults in succession before flipping back to her parents. She felt one lone tear slip down her cheek, and she looked up at her father.

"Dad, thank you!" she breathed. He smiled.

"I wanted you to have something to remind you that, no matter where you go, you always have a family to come back to. No matter what happens, we love you and want the best for you. Shannon, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you as a child. I wish I could have helped you and your mother. If I had only known…well, maybe things would be different. Just remember, as you go off to live your life, that you always have a home to return to," Harry told her. She hugged him tight, feeling more tears slip down her face. Then she let go and hugged Ginny lightly before turning and throwing herself at Albus, who laughed and hugged her back.

That night, as she lay in the room she had shared with Rose since she was eleven, she thought about where she would go tomorrow. She thought about what she would do, who she might meet. And she thought about the family she was leaving. She wasn't going off forever; she'd be back. Until then, she had the locket.

The next morning, she packed her belongings into a muggle suitcase and dressed in silence. She took Gypsy in her carrying basket and walked out to the lawn. As the sun rose slowly, throwing out pink light on the Burrow, she closed her eyes and Disapparated, opening her eyes to find herself in an alleyway in New York City. She smiled. This was her adventure.


	7. Chapter 7: Haircuts and Beach Scenes

**A/N: Hey, sorry it took so long to update. I hit a nasty bit of writer's block. The end of this chapter might sound a bit forced, and it's shorter than usual, but it's a chapter. Hope you like it.**

Chapter Seven

Shannon's life for the next few years was different. She traveled around for awhile, seeing new places and meeting witches and wizards in the US. For awhile, she fell into a period of solitude, living amongst muggles on the West coast, then moved back East. She found a roommate, Gavyn Slater, and they shared an apartment in Chicago.

Gavyn was an outgoing girl who could only be described as badass. She had shiny black hair that she cut in an angular way, with the bangs trailing down to her chest while the back was short and spiky, and had died one streak blood red. She had many piercings in her ears, a belly-button ring, and a small blue stud in her nose. She wore tight micro-minis that accentuated her long legs and lots of silver jewelry, and she worked as a bartender. She was a witch as well.

Shannon had left her black hair long and straight, now hanging at her waist, but she was wearing a bit more make-up and different muggle clothes than she did while at the Burrow. Her emerald eyes looked huge and intense when lined in dark black liner, and she wore lipstick that made her lips look fuller and plumper. Shannon also wore mini-skirts and stiletto boots, but for work she wore black sequined flats and tight dark-wash jeans. Being a hairdresser in one of the only Chicago salons for witches and wizards kept her on her feet.

One morning, about four years after she had left London, she showed up at work and nearly had a heart attack. There, sitting in her salon, was Scorpius Malfoy.

Shannon strode to the desk in the lobby without looking at him and opened the appointment book. Sure enough, the name S. Malfoy was doodled in the loopy handwriting of Amy, the girl who worked as a part-time receptionist. Shannon sighed, and then turned to the man standing in front of her.

Scorpius was tall, with wiry muscles visible through his tight green shirt. His hair was longer than Shannon had ever seen it, hanging past his eyes in the front while brushing past his collar in the back. His blue-grey eyes were barely visible through the white-blonde curtain, and his jaw was still prominent and angular. He smiled easily, standing. The group of witches sitting on the plush black couches tittered excitedly, their eyes following him hungrily as he crossed the lobby.

"Hello, Potter, how are you?" he asked, as if they had planned this encounter mutually. Shannon put her hand on her hip, cocking her head and looking up at him. She had worn stiletto heels today, but she was still almost a foot shorter than him. After four years in the States, his British accent sounded too sexy to be real.

"Malfoy. Didn't expect to see you here today," Shannon replied, raising an eyebrow.

"What, I can't come to get my hair cut by a former classmate?" Scorpius quipped. Shannon, despite her fervent thoughts that she didn't still have feelings for him, found herself giggling flirtatiously. She showed him into another room, where the walls were lined with mirrors, chairs, and desks covered in styling tools. The center of the room had two rows of shampoo stations. Scorpius slipped languidly into the silk robes he was handed and sat down in the chair. Shannon positioned his head in the sink and waved her wand; the sink and shampoos whizzed into action, soap foaming and faucets running.

When his hair was clean, she wrapped it in a towel and guided him to her work station along the wall. The mirror was lined with pictures of friends, family, and places she had been. Shannon combed his hair out, finding the best style.

"Okay, Malfoy. Why did you really come here?" She asked, looking at him. Her wand was poised in midair as she waited for an answer.

"Maybe I wanted to see you?" he suggested. She snorted unceremoniously and began trimming the white-blonde sheet of hair. Her wand was a blur.

"I said the real reason. Not some ridiculous flattery answer," she said, her insides squirming in pleasure at his answer.

"Why do you assume I knew you worked here? Maybe I showed up today with no idea that you were going to be here," Scorpius looked her with his blue-grey eyes, and for a moment she forgot what she was doing. The clatter of her wand hitting the floor snapped her out of it, and she hastily bent to grab it. Scorpius was smirking a bit. She slashed her wand midair, a bit more violently than necessary, and another lock of hair was cut off. Scorpius laughed softly.

"So, you just _happened_ to be in Chicago. And you just _happened_ to decide you need a haircut. And you just _happened_ to pick _my _salon out of all the salons in the city?" Shannon clarified sarcastically.

"Okay, so what if I did know you worked here? What if I just wanted to see you?" Scorpius retorted quietly.

"You…did you really just want to see me?" she asked, and then remembered something. "But your hair was so long. You obviously needed a cut…" Shannon's voice was doubting.

"It's amazing what a little hair-growth potion can do," Scorpius smirked. Shannon thought about this. With a wave of her wand, the hair snippings were swept up in a mini tornado and blown into a dustbin. She waved her wand again and his hair was instantly dry.

"You're done," she announced, inspecting her handiwork. His hair was now the perfect length, not too long but not too short. He ran a hand through it and smiled, giving the robes back.

"It looks great," he said, smiling.

"I'm glad you like it. You can pay up front," she pointed him to the lobby again, but he merely stood there, watching her.

"Do you want to grab some dinner later?" Scorpius asked, an eyebrow raised. Shannon's stomach was filled with butterflies. She wanted so much to say yes but…

"I'm busy," she answered, trying to keep the disappointment off her face.

"Oh."

"I have a date," she told him. His face froze, his eyes steely and his body tense.

"I see. Is he your boyfriend?" Scorpius asked stonily.

"No," Shannon replied calmly.

"Then cancel," Scorpius suggested, lightening up a bit.

"I can't do that!"

"C'mon, you know you want to. Just call him up and say you're sick. If he really likes you, he won't mind," Scorpius told her. Shannon really didn't like his tone. His British accent may be cute, but that didn't give him the right to talk to her like that.

"No! I am not going to stand him up just because you think you're better! And I have news for you: I wouldn't go out with you, even if I _was_ free tonight!" Shannon cried. By now, they had attracted the attention of the other customers. "Now, either you apologize and we can make plans for another night, or you pay and get out!" Shannon told him. Scorpius stalked off, heading for the desk. As Shannon showed a young witch back, she caught sight of Scorpius smiling flirtatiously at Amy. Shannon scoffed and set off to cut the witch's hair, slashing violently at the air.

The next day, Scorpius was back, his hair even longer. Shannon allowed Andrew, the trainee, to go crazy with scissors, and when Scorpius left, he had a strange chunky cut. The day after that, Scorpius left with half his head shaved and the other half trailing to his shoulder. The fourth day, Shannon refused to let him in. His hair was infuriatingly long, tied back in a ponytail. They stood out in to street, arguing quietly.

"C'mon, Potter, just cut my hair!" Scorpius demanded, smiling evilly. Shannon glared at him.

"No, Malfoy! You can't keep coming back here. You can't make your hair grow every day just so you can get it cut the next day!"

"Well, you know how you can get rid of me?" Scorpius asked her. She sighed and shook her head. He smiled in a supposedly charming way and answered her. "All you have to do to keep me from your salon is go out with me."

"Go out with you? Like on a date? That's what you're after?" Shannon was dumbfounded. She considered it for a moment. "Yeah, okay. I'll go out with you. Pick me up here at seven. Dress nicely."

"Where are we going?" Scorpius asked her, smiling widely. Shannon winked and giggled.

"I've got a few ideas," she replied mysteriously before turning to the door. Before she entered the salon, she took her wand out and made a circling motion with her wand. Scorpius's over-long hair sliced off and dropped to the ground, leaving the rest of his hair the perfect length and style. Scorpius walked away laughing to himself, and Shannon found herself waiting anxiously for their date.

Shannon closed the salon at five, Apparated back to the apartment, and raced to her closet. She slipped on a dark green, low-cut tank top and a flowing black knee-length skirt with a pair of black sandals. She borrowed some of Gavyn's jewelry, put on fresh make-up, and brushed her hair until it shone. She then Disapparated back to the salon and was waiting when Scorpius arrived. He looked stunning in black dress pants and a green long-sleeved shirt. His pale skin looked like cream in the moonlight.

"Well, you clean up well," Shannon commented as she stepped out of the shadows and greeted her date.

"I could say the same to you. You realize you're dressed in Slytherin colors, right?" Scorpius laughed.

"Okay, let's go. I have somewhere I want to go, and we don't have all night," Shannon informed him, turning and walking back into the alley. She grabbed Scorpius's hand and turned on the spot. A moment later, they were standing on a secluded beach.

"Where are we?" Scorpius asked, sounding mildly interested.

"One of my favourite places to go," Shannon answered quietly, looking around. Scorpius studied the dark beach, the ocean waves breaking softly and the wind blowing gently.

"I can understand why. It's very calm," he smiled.

Scorpius reached over and caught her hand, pulling her further along the coast. Their fingers entwined, they walked slowly and admired the beautiful beach. Shannon slipped off her sandals, holding them in her free hand, and marveled in the feel of the sand between her toes. They reached the mouth of a shallow cave, and they stopped. Scorpius waved his wand. A blanket laid itself out, and champagne flutes floated in midair. A basket of food was nestled in the sand. Shannon laughed.

"Well, well, well. Someone's prepared," she teased. Scorpius merely smiled, sitting down. Shannon settled down next to him, taking one of the floating champagnes.

"Cheers," she said before downing half of the pale gold liquid. Scorpius chuckled a bit, sipping his own.

"So, how've you been since Hogwarts, Potter?" Scorpius asker after a moment.

"Good, I suppose…I've been living in the States, you know, with my roommate. Her name is Gavyn," Shannon added. Scorpius smiled, nodding. They talked for awhile, sharing stories about life since graduation. Shannon was surprised to find herself having a good time. After a long anecdote about a run-in with Albus at the store, Scorpius took a deep breath and looked at her.

"What?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. He blushed, looking at his glass.

"I was just thinking…well, would it be okay for me to call you by your first name? I mean, we're on a date. Calling you by your last name reminds me of all those fights we had when we were younger. Would…would that be okay?" Scorpius asked, his cheeks burning. Shannon thought about it, then nodded.

"You can call me Shannon if I can call you Scorpius," she told him. He beamed.

The evening passed quickly, with the two of them talking until the sun started rising behind them. They stood, walking back along the beach a bit. Then Shannon linked her fingers through his and Disapparated. They appeared at the front door of Shannon's shared apartment. Scorpius told her good-bye, swiftly kissed her lips, and Disapparated. Gavyn found Shannon standing in the same spot, fingers touching her lips, when she left for work ten minutes later.

Shannon went to work that day, barely noticing her exhaustion. She couldn't help but hope that Scorpius would come see her, but he didn't. All she could think about was the possibility of another date with Scorpius.

She couldn't wait.

**BTW, if you have any ideas for the future, I'd love to hear them. Please tell me what you think about this chapter! Review, please! Hope you liked it!**

**-Ms. Bells Swan**


	8. Chapter 8: Forgotten

**A/N: Sorry about the long wait! My computer crashed, and it took forever to get it back up. Anyways, this chapter is really short. Sorry, but I still need to figure out what's next. Anyways, this is a bit of drama, so enjoy.**

Chapter Eight

Shannon and Scorpius saw quite a lot of each other after that. They dated for several months. On the three-month anniversary of their first date, Scorpius took Shannon back to the cove on the beach and told her he loved her. They stayed all night, dancing on the sand and drinking champagne. Shannon returned home that night with the promise of seeing him soon.

A day passed. Then two. Then four. Then a week, and still, no Scorpius. Shannon became moody, surly, and explosive. She was prone to yell at canisters of hairspray and dump hair clippings on the trainees. Gavyn tried to get her to talk about it, but Shannon simply sat and fumed in silence.

Another week went by. Shannon calmed down some, and instead of yelling and screaming she simply went on without emotion. She was a zombie at work, but at night in her room in the apartment, she was a mess. She cried, screamed, threw things, and broke things. Then, after three weeks with no word from Scorpius, there was a knock on the door. Shannon, assuming it was Gavyn, wiped her eyes and opened the door. Standing outside was Scorpius. Shannon slammed the door.

She waved her wand at the pile of used tissues on the floor, and they vanished. She waved her wand and her hair was clean, curly, and vibrant. She waved her wand and instead of ratty old pajamas, she was wearing black micro-shorts and a green tank top. Then she took a deep breath and called through the door.

"What the hell do you want, Malfoy?"

"Five minutes of your time. Please, Shannon?" he called back. He sounded so desperate, she almost wanted to let him in.

"Don't call me Shannon! And why should I give you anything? I don't owe you anything!" she fumed.

"I know I don't deserve it, but please just hear me out! Please, Shannon, listen to me! I love you!" he told her. She whipped the door open, eyes narrowed.

"No, you don't! If you loved about me at all, you would have sent an owl. Or called or something! People who love other people don't just disappear!" she hissed at him.

"I'm sorry! I wanted to but…it's complicated!" Scorpius apologized.

"Just save it, Malfoy! It doesn't matter. I don't care," she lied, crossing her arms.

"I don't believe that for a moment, Potter," he murmured. She glared defiantly,

"And why not?"

"Because, love, if you didn't care, you wouldn't be crying," he told her softly as he wiped a tear from her cheek. She hadn't even known she was crying. Mutely, Shannon stepped away from the door. He followed her to the couch.

"Where were you?" she finally whispered. He looked at the floor, looking pained.

"I had…family issues to deal with," he mumbled.

"And you couldn't find ten minutes in which to write a letter?" she asked angrily.

"I didn't want them to know who I was seeing. I didn't want my father to know I was dating you. I didn't want them to find out," Scorpius admitted. Shannon gasped, feeling like she had been slapped.

"So…you were ashamed?" she glared. He looked at her in alarm and shook his head.

"No! That's not what I meant! I…I couldn't let them get to you!" he seemed frantic. "Just…just listen. Let me tell you the whole story." He took a deep breath and began.

"When I was born, my mother's best friend was pregnant also. The child was a girl, half a year younger than me. My mother and her friend devised the idea that Serina, the daughter, and I might marry when we were older. They then began throwing us together all summer every summer of my childhood. When I graduated Hogwarts, it was decided that neither of us had experienced the world yet and that we should be allowed five years before the engagement would be thrown into effect. We are coming up on the end of the fourth year. When I moved here, it was in the hopes that they would give up trying to find me. My mother, however, is very strong-willed. She found me, and was at my home after our last date. She demanded that I return with her to London and begin my engagement with Serina. I returned, protesting that I still had another year of freedom. Serina, however, did not want to wait to start our family. It was soon discovered that I was seeing someone. Serina became angry, demanding to know who. I realized that she would hurt you. So I couldn't possibly contact you, lest my angry fiancée-to-be find you!" Scorpius ended the story abruptly, watching Shannon.

Shannon had been listening to the tale with growing pain and horror. She started mutely at Scorpius for several minutes. Then, unexpectedly, she began chucking throw pillows around the room.

"What the hell?!?" she screamed. Scorpius watched her, slightly amused, until she had worn herself out and depleted her supply of decorative cushions.

"I know I should have told you about Serina earlier, but I couldn't stand the idea of you knowing!"

"No, of course not! Why would you tell your girlfriend about your fiancée? That would defeat the purpose! I can't believe you, Scorpius Malfoy!" Shannon screeched hysterically. In her mind, she pictured Serina. Perfect, princess-like. Blond hair and blue eyes and pale skin just like Scorpius. They would make the perfect family.

"Shannon, please calm down. Shannon, please!" Scorpius asked. When that didn't work, he did the only other thing he could think of; he grabbed her, pushed her back onto the couch, and pressed his lips to hers.

Shannon responded fervently. She hooked her arms around his neck, her legs locking around his waist. Her lips moved against his frantically, his tongue exploring her mouth. Her fingernails were digging into his back. Shannon removed one of her arms and blindly grasped for her wand. When she found it, she waved it. Scorpius's shirt disappeared. Then she did the same thing with her shirt. Scorpius pulled out of the kiss, taking the time to appreciate the bra she was wearing before moving his lips to her neck.

Suddenly, the door opened. Gavyn walked in, home from her job as a bartender. She was wearing a slinky leather mini-dress and heels, which clipped across the floor. She stopped when she saw Scorpius and Shannon, half-dressed on the couch.

"I guess you're forgiven then?" Gavyn asked Scorpius, hand on her hip. He pulled away from Shannon, adjusting into a slightly more appropriate position.

"It looks that way, doesn't it?" he replied easily. Shannon's face was bright red and she refused to meet her roommate's eyes.

"Come on, Malfoy. Let's go into the kitchen. We have quite a bit of talking to do."


	9. Chapter 9: Return to the Burrow

**A/N: It's been awhile, and I apologize. I've been stressed out with my life, and haven't had much time to write. On top of that, this chapter is much shorter than usual. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! Review please!**

Chapter Nine

After pulling their shirts back on, the two went to the kitchen. Shannon made tea, filling two very large mugs and sitting down at the table. Scorpius sat across from her.

"So you're engaged," Shannon stated in a dead voice.

"More like…promised," Scorpius hedged.

"You have a girl who expects to marry you," Shannon pointed out.

"But I neither expect nor want to marry her," he added.

"So…okay…so what we have to do is talk to her. And show your parents I'm just as right for you as she is," Shannon decided.

"I don't care what they think or say. I'm not marrying her. But…if you wanna give it a shot…" he trailed off. Shannon stood up, nodded, and walked to her room. Scorpius followed. When she started packing all her things, he asked "What are you doing?"

"I'm packing. It's high time I returned to London," she said with a sigh.

After explaining to Gavyn where she was going, Shannon and Scorpius stepped outside and Disapparated. They arrived at the Burrow just as the sun set, casting a strange glow over the place. There seemed to be a crowd inside. Shannon took a deep breath, gripped Scorpius's hand, and knocked on the door.

Molly Weasley, looking even older and more grandmotherly than ever, opened the door. She cried out as she pulled Shannon into a hug, causing the others to come running. Before Shannon had been released from the embrace, the foyer was crowded. Shannon was greeted by Albus, James, Teddy, Rose, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. Arthur, Charlie, Bill, Fleur, and several girls Shannon didn't recognize were hanging in the back.

As they towed Shannon in, she pulled Scorpius with her. The reaction when he was yanked out of the shadows was instantaneous. Albus, James, and Teddy glared. Rose raised an eyebrow, smiling. Harry, Ron, Bill, and Charlie glowered. Hermione looked worried. Only Molly tried to keep her smile.

"Shannon, I didn't realize you had brought a guest! This must be young Scorpius. Welcome, both of you. Why don't you come in to the kitchen? We obviously have some things to talk about," Molly pointed out, guiding them through the crowd. The group gathered around them.

Albus and James were closest to Shannon, with Teddy right behind them. Rose hopped up on the counter, nursing a wine glass, and the parents filled in the spaces. Only Ginny drifted back to the living room, followed by a woman about Charlie's age.

"Well, Shannon, would you like to explain?" Molly prodded gently. Shannon took a deep breath, glanced at Scorpius, and started talking. She began with her first few years in America and slowly worked her way to the point when she and Scorpius had started dating.

"After so much time away, I wanted to come visit my family again. I invited Scorpius to come with me," she finished with a sigh, leaving out Scorpius's fiancée and all the drama that came with her.

"And we are so glad that you're back!" Molly chirped. "Now, I believe you know most everyone…well, almost. Abigail, Charlie's wife, is in the other room with Ginny. That girl over there," she pointed to a short brunette with purple highlights, "is Albus's girlfriend, Amethyst. She," Molly gestured to a familiar-looking girl with white-blonde curls and blue eyes, "is James's fiancée. You might recognize her," Molly smiled. Shannon studied the girl for a moment.

"Adair! Adair, from Hogwarts! How are you?" Shannon beamed. She and Adair exchanged pleasantries, and then Shannon turned to her brothers.

"So, Albus, care to introduce me to your new girl?" she asked. Al flushed a bit, stumbling through an introduction. Amethyst smiled uneasily before joining Ginny, Abigail, and Adair in the living room. Ron, Molly, Hermione, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, and Arthur followed slowly.

"Shannon, it's nice to see you again," James greeted her, putting an arm around her shoulder and squeezing.

"Well, Jamie, I'm glad you're glad to see me. It's been a long time." Shannon sighed, suddenly exhausted. She slouched against the counter for a moment. Before she could settle, though, Scorpius wrapped his arm around her waist and supported her. He didn't seem to realize he was doing it. The atmosphere chilled suddenly. Harry was still glowering. James narrowed his eyes, tightening his arm around her shoulder. Albus fidgeted, his hands twitching.

"Guys, calm down," Shannon mumbled, her head on James's shoulder and her eyelids drooping. Harry exhaled loudly, cleared his throat, and swallowed.

"Okay, Shannon. I want you to be happy. I'm glad you're home. And so I'll tolerate this…this young man accompanying you. But it's going to take some time for me to get used to seeing him putting his hands all over you…" Harry trailed off, gesturing vaguely. "Ginny and I have to get going…come over and see us tomorrow, after you're all rested. We have some things to talk about." Harry gave her a hug before being dragged off by Ginny.

"Jamie, Al, can one of you ask Molly if Scorpius and I can use the guest room?" Shannon mumbled into James's collar. Albus left, returning quickly with Mrs. Weasley in tow.

"Shannon, dear, of course you can use the guest room. The bed's a double, but I can send up a fold-out as well…" Molly trailed off. Rose started giggling.

"No offense Molly, but you're so old fashioned! I don't think they'll need another bed. They'll just share the double," Rose slurred, giggling yet again. Scorpius smirked at the drunken brunette. Albus chuckled, helping Rose to walk outside, where she was passed to her father. Molly frowned a bit, but pointed them to the guest room.

Scorpius led Shannon up the stairs and to the bed. Shannon sat up and waved her wand. The bag she had packed earlier appeared next to her and she began sifting through until she found her nightgown. Scorpius noticed and turned away before she could even ask. She slid out of her clothing and pulled on the slinky silk nightdress. Then she opened the door and let her boyfriend re-enter. Scorpius quickly stripped down to his boxers before sliding under the blankets. Shannon slid in next to him, cautiously leaving space between them. She immediately started drifting off, barely noticing when Scorpius hesitantly scooted closer to her, resting his hand on her hip. Together, the two of them dropped into a dark unconsciousness.


	10. Chapter 10: Permission

**A/N: So I finally got around to typing up this next chapter. Sorry about that. I hope you enjoy the drama, or at least are intrigued enough to keep reading. Hope you enjoy it! Also, please review! I'd like some feedback as to what you like in the story versus what you don't care for. Thanks!**

Chapter Ten

The next morning, Shannon woke to the smell of bacon and the feel of strong, wiry arms wrapped around her. She turned around, hazily trying to remember how she had gotten there. When the memories hit her, she sat up suddenly. Scorpius stretched and smiled sleepily at her, pulling her back into his arms. They laid there for several minutes of bliss in the warm nest of blankets with their bodies entangled. Then, just as Shannon had snuggled up and started to fall back to sleep, the door opened and James burst in.

"Shannon, breakfa-WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" James cried when he saw the two of them. Shannon squinted at him, the light from the hall invading the room. Scorpius sighed and climbed out of bed, pulling Shannon out with him. Shannon realized what she was wearing and blushed, squirming under her brother's glare.

"We were sleeping. Maybe you've heard of it?" she replied.

"You weren't sleeping! You were cuddling!" James growled.

"So what? You and your fiancée don't cuddle?" Shannon retorted, irritated.

"Adair and I don't sleep together at night! We respect the other people in this house!"

"Listen, Potter, we didn't do anything. We fell asleep. Relax," Scorpius inserted. James's face turned purple with rage.

"Don't you tell me to relax! I knew from the very beginning that you were going to be a problem! You pressured girls at Hogwarts and now you're working your way into my SISTER'S pants, too! You're nothing but a no-good, womanizing, sleazy MALFOY!" James bellowed. By this time, Adair and Albus had joined him in the doorway. Amethyst was clinging to Al's hand.

"ENOUGH!" Shannon shrieked. "Even if you don't trust Scorpius, you should at least trust me! Now calm down, apologize, and GET OUT OF MY BLOODY BEDROOM!" she finished, slamming the door on her brothers and their girlfriends.

Scorpius exhaled loudly, hugging her quickly before pulling on his jeans and black-and-green-striped button-up shirt from the day before. Shannon pulled on a denim skirt and maroon top, messed with her hair for a moment, and then led the way out. They padded down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Shannon conjured up a very large mug of coffee. Scorpius fixed himself a smaller cup of tea.

Rose slipped in, face looking pained and hand on her head. She took Shannon's coffee off the table, gulping down several steaming mouthfuls.

"Good morning," Rose moaned, taking out ingredients from the potions cabinet above the stove. She set up a small cauldron, lighting the fire underneath and consulting an ancient book.

"Morning, Rosie. Quite a night, wasn't it?" Shannon sighed. Rose mumbled an agreement, pouring her finished potion into a vial. She measured about a quarter of it into a china cup, which she filled with boiling water and drank. The rest was stored with the other potion leftovers.

"Hangover meds?" Shannon guessed. Her best friend nodded.

"So, what was all that shouting about earlier?" Rose wondered aloud.

"Oh, James exploded because he interrupted me and Scorpius. We were…waking up," Shannon shrugged.

"Don't feel too bad about it. I happen to know for a fact that James and Adair shag several times a week after everyone leaves for work," Rose smirked. "I was too tipsy to really pay attention last night…why are you guys here, exactly?" she asked. Shannon and Scorpius glanced at each other before explaining.

"We are going to try to convince Draco and Astoria that I'm just as good for Scorpius as some little society witch would be, despite the fact that I never took Cotillion or had a coming-out party," Shannon groaned, realizing how difficult her life was going to be. Rose looked surprised.

"So this thing between you guys…this is really serious, then?" Rose clarified. Shannon shrugged, smiling a bit. Scorpius, however, spoke up.

"Oh, it's quite serious…for me, at least. If I didn't have every intention of spending the rest of my life with Shannon, I wouldn't be bothering to convince my parents. I love her. Now, whether she feels the same way, I can't tell. For me, though, it's quite serious."

Shannon gaped. She leaned over the counter to plant an intense, lingering kiss on his lips. She couldn't help but tangle her hands in his hair and deepen the kiss. She was hardly aware of anything else in the room until, suddenly, Scorpius pulled back. Shannon looked up, a complaint on her lips, and realized that he had been yanked away from her by the back of his shirt. The person responsible for all of this was James. He was scowling at Scorpius with fire in his eyes.

"Scorpius, we better get going," Shannon pointed out quickly. "We have to go visit my dad and then we head over to the Manor…"

"No, Shannon, I think your brother and I should go ahead and get this over with," Scorpius sighed, jerking away from James and smoothing his shirt.

"No, Scorpius, just leave it alone. We can deal with my family later!" Shannon pleaded, circling to stand near the men.

"Shannon, you know how much I hate this guy! Not just a brotherly protectiveness, but a deep loathing, rooted in the past. He's a Malfoy and we're Potters!" James glowered.

"If I can get over that, so can you!" Shannon insisted.

"It's not the same thing! A full-blood Potter, one who was raised from birth to dislike the Malfoys, wouldn't be dating one! You can get over it because you're only half a Potter!" James cried in frustration. Shannon's blood ran cold. She slowly moved closer to James. When she was an inch away from him, she slapped him across the face. Hard.

"Right now, you're no better than him," she said softly. "You're yelling and screaming. You basically just called me illegitimate, like he used to. In comparison, you're the one to be hated. I had hoped that you would accept him and try to get over his family for the sake of my happiness. I see now that I overestimated you. I'll remember that in the future."

Shannon backed up until she felt Scorpius's hand on her shoulder. She exhaled softly. After a moment, she left the room. Scorpius didn't follow.

Scorpius spoke softly, his words carrying a lethal undertone.

"James, I understand that you don't like me. I'm not too fond of you either. But we do agree on one thing; we both want Shannon to be happy. And right now, what will make her happy is if we call a truce and try to get along. You can hate me all you want, but if you care about her, you won't attack me again." Scorpius followed Shannon out.

Shannon gulped, gripping Scorpius's arm like a lifeline. She had known it would have to happen eventually, but she didn't think she could ever have prepared herself for this.

Scorpius took a deep breath and rang the doorbell of Malfoy Manor.

A house elf in a ratty scrap of cloth answered the door, ushering them into a luxurious but cold parlor. Shannon shivered. After a moment, a slender, frosty blonde woman swooped in, her eyes full of joy.

"Scorpius! You've returned!" Astoria crooned, extending her arms to her son. Scorpius embraced her with only a bit of warmth. As she released him, Astoria caught sight of Shannon. She stiffened a bit, cautiously perching on a stiff armchair.

"Oh," she whispered. Shannon could see the wheels turning in her head. Before anyone could say anything further, the doors burst open again. A tall man with ice-blonde hair and dark eyes entered. He regarded his son for a moment before he spoke.

"So, you've decided to return?" he hissed. Scorpius ignored him.

"Mum, how have you been? Did you attend the Wilkinson's ball like you were planning?"

Astoria mumbled a reply, whispering about gowns and robes and such. Draco sighed.

"Alright son, what plan have you concocted this time? Who's the girl and why are you – Ahh…" Draco paused, his eyes narrowing as his face took on a sly expression.

Shannon tugged at Scorpius's arm.

"Mum, Dad, this is Shannon. You might remember that Shannon and I went to Hogwarts together. Surely you'll remember her father, Harry. I believe you and he were classmates?" Scorpius kept his voice level and his expression neutral. Draco did the same.

"So this is your plan. Bring in the Potter girl that you claim to love, simply to get out of marrying Serina."

"Draco…" Astoria hissed, her expression one of an embarrassed wife. Shannon wasn't sure what to do or say. Astoria quickly suggested that Draco and Scorpius discuss things in the office while she and Shannon have tea. Shannon's blood froze at the thought, but she really had no choice. A house elf was summoned. Astoria and Shannon sat in silence for a moment.

"You're all wrong for him, you know," Astoria said pleasantly.

"I believe that's for Scorpius to decide, not you," Shannon replied.

"Scorpius doesn't know what's good for him. That's what he has parents for, to make the tough decisions for him."

"Maybe that worked when he was a little boy, but he's an adult now. Your son is all grown up. You have to let him make his own decisions!" Shannon reasoned. "If Scorpius can't convince Draco to let him marry who he chooses, you'll lose him forever. Do you want that?" Astoria stared into her tea for a moment.

"If my husband and son work something out, I won't fight it. However, I will never accept a Muggle-born witch as my daughter-in-law." She spoke softly, threateningly.

After a moment of thought, Shannon spoke.

"If your husband and son don't work this out, I will be powerless to change that. But I will never stop fighting for Scorpius. I will never stop loving him."

Astoria and Shannon looked at each other for a long time. They sipped their tea and waited for the return of father and son.

An endless space of time later, they were rejoined by solemn-faced Draco and expressionless Scorpius.

"Mum, it was nice to see you again. I'll try to write more often," Scorpius told her. He motioned for Shannon to join him. A last look at Astoria showed a smug expression and teary eyes.

Scorpius didn't say a word until they had Apparated back to the Burrow. He led Shannon to the back yard, gesturing to the old bench swing.

"Stay here."

He left, returning a few moments later.

"Scorpius, you're scaring me," Shannon whispered. She felt paralyzed in fear. His eyes were unreadable. He sat down next to her, watching her.

"Shannon Mitchell Potter, we've traveled from the United States to England. We've visited your family and mine. I've spoken with my father, and now I have only one thing left to say…

Will you marry me?" In one motion, he smoothly moved to kneel on the ground in front of her, opening a small box to reveal a beautiful ring.

Shannon gasped.

"Yes," she whispered. Then, louder, "Yes!" She shrieked as Scorpius hugged her, spinning her around. He reverently slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her gently.

"What's going on? What's wrong?" James shouted, running towards them with his wand ready. He lowered it at the sight of their smiles, looking confused.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Shannon told him quickly. "Scorpius and I have some news, is all."


End file.
